Lost Echoes
by NegaDot
Summary: A trio from an unknown guild has arrived seeking help. The dragon slayers have to step up to help these not so foreign people. Yonaguni and Blythe are back with a new OC, Kavi, determined to save their guild master. With five dragon slayers on the case, what could possibly go wrong?
1. Chapter 1

Lost Echoes, part 1

It was another warm spring day in Magnolia. Everything was peaceful and everyone was happy. The only thing out of place was the letter Makarov had received that morning. Taking no notice, Natsu and Happy went fishing, dragging Lucy along. The normal noise of the guild filled the building with laughter and chatter. When the door swung open, only Mira and Kinana seemed to notice. A trio of strangers stepped in. The man in the center seemed calm and collected. He had dark skin, glasses, and twin green stripes on each side of his face. Beside him, someone pale with blonde, curly hair scouted the room excitedly. Lastly, the group was rounded off by a girl with a tan, mint hair and golden eyes, who seemed to be sniffing the air. "This is definitely the place", she confirmed. A few mages glanced over as Mira made her way toward them.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail", she said with a smile. The man in glasses extended a polite hand. "You must be Mirajane", he said evenly. She nodded and shook his hand. "We're from Serpent Wing. I believe your master is expecting us", he continued. "Yes. Right this way", replied Mira, leading him to another room. Before they parted, he gave an icy glare to his cohorts that said, "Behave." They slipped into the back, leaving them free to mingle. The pale man seemed intrigued by absolutely everything. He bounced around the guild, inspecting whatever caught his fancy that second. "Hello", ventured Kinana, offering a warm grin. The man did a double take, unsure she was actually talking to him. When he pointed at himself with a sheepish smile, she nodded. That was all the encouragement he needed. He bounded forward into a hug before she knew what hit her. "Aren't you friendly?", she said nervously. "Down, Blythe!", shouted his team mate. He immediately retreated, bowing apologetically. The woman with him stepped forward. "Sorry about that", she sighed. "It's all right", replied Kinana. Blythe's eyes swelled with joyous tears. "I knew the mages here would be nice!", he beamed.

Nearby, Macao and Wakaba were drinking and saw the entire interaction. "Well now, who's this?", grinned Wakaba, clearing the smoke from his lungs. The minty haired maiden grabbed Blythe, forcing him into a head lock with a wide grin. "We're from Serpent Wing!", she stated proudly. Rubbing her knuckles into his blonde locks, she said, "This is Blythe. He's pretty useless, but Kavi likes keeping him around." Blythe squirmed at the noogies, plaintiffly saying, "Yona-chan, stop it!". The fairies exchanged glances, trying to take this duo in. "And I'm Yonaguni", she added, pointing at herself with her thumb. "Kavi-kun's in the back with your master", explained Blythe, smiling nervously as she released her hold. "I don't think I've ever heard of Serpent Wing", said Macao, thinking out loud. "Maybe they're new", shrugged Wakaba. "I'm sure they're a very nice guild", offered Kinana, causing Blythe to idolize her kindness once more. "We came from pretty far way", stated Yona, stealing Macao's drink. "It's true. Out where the sea meets the mountains near the flower fields", added Blythe cheerfully. Again, the fairies were at a loss. None of that information helped them pinpoint this strange guild.

Before more could be said, Natsu, Lucy, and Happy returned with a huge basket of fish. "Check it out, guys! I told you we'd catch a lot!", beamed the dragon slayer. "Natsu!", shouted Yona, charging him at full speed. He barely had a change to recognize the blur headed straight for him before he hit the ground. Laughing, he greeted her. "Yona! What are you doing here?". Happy jumped into a hug, asking, "Did you come to join Fairy Tail?". She hugged the exceed and replied, "Nah. I'm here on business." She smiled at Lucy, uncaring that she still pinned her fellow dragon slayer to the floor. "Where are Rani and Ronen?", asked Lucy. Yona froze, seeming to just now realize they weren't with her. "Uhhh...", she trailed. Natsu cleared his throat and gave her a look that said, "Do you mind?". She got off him and helped him to his feet. Seeing the basket of fish, her eyes grew wide and she almost seemed to drool over the catch. "Would you like some?", offered Lucy.

Gray walked in through the back door, followed closely by Juvia. Upon seeing them, Yona pointed and yelled, "Popsicle! Did you miss me?". Taken aback at first, he sighed. "Great. She's here", he muttered. Juvia peered around him in curiosity. "There's my water buddy!", beamed Yona. Back near the bar, Blythe smiled innocently at her antics. "Fickle, isn't she?", teased Wakaba. "And here I thought you were the hyper one", taunted Macao. The man from before stepped into the room with Mira and Makarov. "They're both hyper", he stated plainly. "Kavi-kun!", called Blythe, doing his best to look like he hadn't caused any trouble. With a deep breath, Kavi strode forward. Holding an even expression, he tapped Blythe over the head with his book. Blythe laughed nervously as Yona got the ice glare. "I heard someone fall. Don't tell me you tackled someone again", he said. She shrunk a few steps away from Natsu. "We're old friends", she smiled. Glancing over the staring mages, Kavi simply said, "I see. Please, sit down. We have much to discuss."

As they gathered at the tables, introductions were made. "Natsu, I'm glad you're here", said Makarov. "I have a job for you." The dragon slayer grinned, ready for the details. "These are mages from Serpent Wing", offered Mira. "They've come with a very special assignment", she added. Pointing each out, she introduced them. "This is Kavi Drupada, Blythe Sandrunner, and Yonaguni ...I'm sorry, I didn't get your last name", she ceded. Yona looked up, her cheeks stuffed with raw fish from the catch. She mumbled something unintelligible and continued to gorge herself. Kavi sighed and apologized for her behavior. "It's all right. We have our hands full here, too", grinned Makarov. "What kind of job is it?", asked Gray, ignoring Juvia's yearning stare. "You're welcome to come should you wish, but we only require the dragon slayers", replied Kavi. As those words left his mouth, the other two of Fairy Tail walked in the front door. "Jeel-kun!", beamed Blythe, leaping over the table. He got half way there before he froze with a nervous expression. He shyly turned back toward Kavi, who simply waved him on.

Jumping onto Gajeel, he hugged his old friend tightly with all four limbs. "Get the Hell off me!", shouted the dragon slayer. Levy chuckled beside him, Jet and Droy holding their laughter at Gajeel's death glare. Lily smirked, but said nothing. "It's good to see you again", grinned Levy. Blythe dropped to his feet and stared at her with tearful eyes. "You remember me?", he asked coyly. "Of course I do", she said with a smile. Squeezing her next, he swung her small frame around, cuddling her close. He seemed a bit taller than she remembered. "Levy-chan is still so sweet!". A yank at his scarf from Gajeel told him that was enough. Wendy and Charle watched with wonder. Who was this man and why did he love Gajeel and Levy so much? Straightening her clothes, Levy turned to introduce her guild mates. "You remember Jet. This is Droy, Wendy, and Charle." Jet met Blythe's beaming face with a look that said, "Please don't hug me." Blythe bowed politely. As he settled his eyes over Wendy, he seemed to glow with anticipation. "This is Wendy-chan?", he asked. She nodded with a grin. "The dragon slayer?", inquired Blythe. "Yes, that's me", said the girl. Blythe dropped to his knees and embraced her. "You're adorable!", he cried, snuggling. At the tables, Kavi coolly said, "That's enough." Like magic, Blythe jumped back onto his own feet and stepped a few paces away from the fairies. Gajeel glanced between the two men. "How did you do that?", he asked in shock. Blythe shyly twiddled his fingers. Faintly blushing, he replied, "Kavi-kun is in charge." Yona stared at Gajeel and Wendy, sniffing the air lightly. "Don't do it", said Kavi, calmly looking over the papers he had brought. She stuck her tongue out and pouted, but obeyed.

Several minutes later, they, too, had joined the conversation. Kavi gave a brief review of their mission. They were to head into the woods to retrieve something he wouldn't exactly name. "That's it?", asked Natsu, unimpressed. "Find some old totem? Why would you need three dragon slayer for something like that?", scoffed Gajeel. "We don't", replied Kavi calmly, "We need five." "Five?", repeated Wendy, unsure. Natsu gave her an assuring grin. "Yona learned from the sea dragon", he offered. "Sure did!", added Yona enthusiastically. "That makes four, but who's the fifth? Laxus?", inquired Lucy. "Only first generation can help with this task", explained Kavi. "So?...", trailed Gray. "You're looking at him", beamed Blythe. Everyone looked to Kavi in question. "You?", asked Gajeel. Kavi calmly cleaned the lenses of his glasses and said, "Is that so hard to believe? Not all dragon slayers are loud and reckless." Replacing his spectacles, mixed expressions stared back at him. "Don't worry, Jeel-kun. Kavi's strong", assured Blythe with a shy smile. Levy grinned softly and politely said, "Blythe, I didn't think you were a mage. When did you join the guild?". "Me?", said Blythe. Waving his hands, he said, "No, no. I can't do any magic." Gray glanced at him, mildly confused. "Then how did you join a guild at all?", he inquired. "I pulled some strings. After all, he saved my life", explained Kavi.

"What happened?", asked Wendy with concern. For the first time, she looked at Blythe and he wasn't smiling. "Kavi-kun was in a bad place", he said, nostalgically. "No need to be shy", said Kavi, collecting his papers. "Simply put, I wanted to die that day and he changed my mind", he stated. "What kind of dragon slayer contemplates suicide?", asked Juvia, coming off harsher than intended. "The lonely kind", replied Kavi, seemingly untouched by her tone. "You seem fine now", offered Lily, trying to lighten the mood. "You have a guild and friends. I'd say you're doing okay", said Natsu with a grin. Lucy glanced down at the floor, unsure what to say. She spotted Kavi's bag of books near her feet. Some titles within were incredibly rare. Noting her interest, Kavi invited her to take a closer look. She and Levy dove at the chance, asking how he managed to find such tomes. He chatted with them politely about novels, writing, poetry, and the joy of reading in general. At the other end of the table, Natsu and Yona were arm wrestling. Blythe stayed close to Gajeel, asking how he had been since the foray into his homeland several months ago. Wendy, Charle, Lily, and Happy listened to Gray's version of how they met Yona and the chaos that ensued, Juvia adding in here and there.

Jet and Droy had joined Macao at the bar, trying not to pry. Wakaba watched the table full of mages with interest. He grinned to himself, amused at something he had overheard. Makarov and Mira had left them a while ago to let them acclimate to one another, but enough time had passed. The master returned to his children. "So, will you do it?", he asked keenly. "Wendy readily nodded, glad to help. Natsu agreed, too, excited to get a change of scenery. With a pitiful stare from Blythe, Gajeel cracked. It was agreed. "Who else is going?", asked Kavi, writing notes in his ledger. "Won't the rest of us get in the way?", inquired Levy. "What you do with yourselves isn't my concern, but if you wish to assist, feel free to volunteer", replied Kavi, still writing. "Come on! Let's make a trip out of it!", encouraged Yona. "I think I'll pass", said Gray. He had no interest in gallivanting around the woods looking for something unnamed. "May I ask a question?", ventured Lucy. Kavi glanced up with interest. "What exactly is the purpose of this mission?", she asked, unclear on the details. Closing his book, Kavi met her gaze calmly. We need to retrieve an idol from a lost civilization. I can't go into specifics here, but know that our guild master's life may well depend on it." Taking it in, she said, "I'll help." Yona grinned. It would be a chance to start over and with luck, she might see Valentine again.

Details were hashed and a count of hands taken. Natsu, Happy, Gajeel, Lily, Wendy, Charle, Lucy, and Levy would join Serpent Wing on this job. As plans were finalized, two small forms entered the guild. "Are you sure this is the place?", asked Rani. "Of course it is", assured her brother. "See? There's Yona", pointed Ronen. They rejoined their partner. "You're late", stated Kavi evenly. "You went exploring without me, didn't you?", squinted Yona. Ronen grinned, "You know how Rani likes to shop." Yona grimaced at the thought of shopping. "I still don't know where she got that habit", she shuddered. Natsu looked over the head count. "Five dragon slayers and five exceeds", observed Lucy, following his line of sight. Realizing the matching number, he glanced back to Kavi. He didn't seem to have a feline companion. Guessing his thoughts, Kavi stated, "It's not a requirement." Lucy chuckled at Natsu's expression. He was still getting a feel for this new comrade. "Excuse me, Kavi-san", said Wendy shyly. He offered a small, but kind grin in response. "What dragon did you learn from?", she inquired. The chatter around the table died down as the fairies looked on with interest. Yona smirked, waiting for their reactions, while Blythe simply beamed toward his team leader. "I suppose it never comes off as obvious", sighed Kavi. Evenly meeting the keen faces before him, he replied, "I learned from my mother, Gita, the sound dragon."

"Sound?", repeated Lucy. "Why not? Sting and Rogue were light and shadow", grinned Natsu. "It has more applications than one might expect", said Kavi, blushing faintly. "It's kinda cool really", offered Yona, "Sound is vibration, right? You should see him destroy something. It's awesome." Blythe chuckled, "Such high praise from you, Yona-chan." She glared at him mildly, but let it drop. "Now that introductions are over, I suggest you all gather what you need and meet us by the train station", said Kavi. As the fairies scattered, Lucy watched Wendy closely. She was staring at Kavi with a very worried expression. Stepping beside her, she quietly asked, "What's wrong?". Wendy slowly turned her face to see her friend's face. "Can't you feel it? The sadness?", asked Wendy. Lucy offered a kind smile and assured things would be all right. As he made her way home, she kept thinking about what her young guild mate had said. She was right. There was something about Kavi that just screamed out in pain. She had heard about Blythe from Levy and knew he had his share of hardships, and she knew Yona personally, but Kavi was still a mystery. Perhaps once they all hit the road, he might start to open up a bit. If nothing else, she knew she could count on Natsu to offer his friendship.

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

Lost Echoes, part 2

Slowly, everyone going on the mission gathered. Blythe had insisted on following Gajeel home to see where he lived. The two now made their way to the train station with Lily. Levy and Lucy approached together, idly chatting. Kavi stood alone at the tracks, staring distantly with a cigarette hanging from his lips. "Looks like you're first to arrive, ladies", he said. Levy talked with him while they waited. Lucy noticed how few things he carried with him. He had his book bag, a guitar case, and a simple blanket. Nothing more. As Gajeel and Blythe arrived on the scene, the iron dragon slayer was amused to see the instrument case. Blythe beamed, telling Kavi all about Gajeel's songs. Kavi smiled politely as he listened. A shadow was slinking along nearby. Without warning, Yona jumped out and bit Gajeel's arm playfully. "What the hell?!", he shouted, shaking her loose. "Yup! Tatse like dragon slayer!", she stated proudly. Kavi gave her a chilled glance. "What? You said not to kiss him", she retorted. Kavi sighed and apologized on her behalf. Finally, Wendy, Natsu, and their exceed partners arrived just in time to see Gajeel and Yona arguing like children.

"Did I miss something good?", grinned Natsu. "Psycho bit me!", vented Gajeel. Natsu laughed. "She's kinda hands on when meeting people." Yona stared at Wendy, debating on what she should do. Noting the look, Natsu put his hand out in front of the girl. "She's a dragon slayer. Just take my word for it", he smirked. Blythe was fidgeting over Gajeel's arm. No makrs were present, but he fussed jus the same. He turned to Yona and pointed an accusing finger. "You should know better!" She gave him a flat look, unimpressed at his attempt at anger. "If anyone's going to bite Jeel-kun, it'll be me!". After a brief pause, he added, "And maybe Levy-chan." Yona got the book tap of shame from Kavi over her head, much harder than Blythe had previously. "Ow! No fair!", she whined. "That's quite enough. If everyone's ready, I suggest we depart", replied Kavi.

Natsu glanced nervously at the tracks. "We're not taking the train, are we?". Lucy tried not to snicker at the nauseous look passing over the dragon slayers's face. Collecting himself, Kavi replied, "I should say not. I think we'll fare better on foot, don't you?". "How far is it?", asked Wendy curiously. "It'll take a few days to reach the temple", replied Kavi, offering a kind grin. Ronen and Rani had also arrived and mingled with their brethren. "Yay, a trip with Jeel-kun and Levy-chan!", beamed Blythe, hugging one in each arm. Gajeel shoved him aside with an unamused 'hmph'. Blythe turned to Levy with sad puppy eyes. "But we'll have fun, won't we?", he asked, his lip quivering pitifully. "I'm sure we will", she assured, smiling brightly. This only prompted another hug, releasing her at the look he got from his leader. "Come on", said Kavi, leading the way.

The group set off in an over all good mood. Rani rode on Kavi's shoulder, pushing his high collar against his face. Blythe and Levy shared a friendly conversation, while Yona did her best to mess with Natsu and Lucy. Ronen occasionally chided her, but it did little to dissuade her fun. Happy walked along side Charle and Wendy with Lily bringing up their rear with Gajeel. "Isn't it amazing that Kavi-kun plays guitar, too?", asked Blythe in his usual cheerful manor. Levy nodded, glad to humor his sweet personality. Frankly, it was a refreshing change. "I see Natsu-san wears a scarf just like me", he grinned. "He doesn't go anywhere without it. His father gave it to him", she replied. Blythe's eyes seemed to sparkle at the thought of such a precious possession. Levy glanced forward to Kavi, taking a closer look at her new comrade. His orange shirt sported a high collar, held in place with a black windsor tie. A simple camera dangled from his belt. Following her line of sight, Blythe said, "He takes great photos." Levy seemed intrigued. "What does he usually shoot?", she inquired. "Anything he sees beauty in", replied Blythe with a shy smile. "I can hear you. I don't bite", said Kavi across his shoulder. Levy blushed faintly and apologized. She stepped beside him to speak directly. Blythe took the opprotunity to hand back in the group and see what Yona was up to.

"So, I kicked him in the balls and stole the damned thing", said Yona triumphantly, completing one of her stories. "Wait. Wasn't that guy one of your guild mates?", uttered Natsu. Yona waved it off, saying, "Minor deatails." Blythe ventured, "Yona-chan's a little rough on her friends." "We noticed", said Lucy flatly. "I don't remember inviting you to this conversation", said Yona, mildly glaring at her partner. "You're so mean", he said, taking his place beside Gajeel. "That was kinda of mean", said Lucy. "I can't help it if he nnoys me. I mean, who joins a guild when they can't even perform a basic spell?", retorted Yona. "You've got a lot to learn", sighed Natsu. "What's that supposed to mean?", she spat. "Guild is family. You have to look for each other", explained Natsu. Yona sighed, slightly annoyed. "So I've heard." Ronen cleared his throat, getting thier attention. "Despite how she comes off, she does care about his well being", stated the exceed. "Shut up!", repleid Yona, faintly blushing. Lucy grinned to herself. Yona actually seemed cute just then.

Changing the subject, Yona asked, "So how's Valentine doing?". Lucy clutched her keys without thought. "Loke says he's healing well. I feel sorry for him, though. I know time passes slower in the spirit realm. I hope he recovers from our injuries soon". It had been a few months since the incident with soul stealers and her new spirit companion taking on their grievous wounds. "Have you talked to him?", inquired Yona. Lucy nodded. "A few weeks ago. I tryo not to bother him. I know he's in pain", she replied. "He's a good guy", offered Natsu. Lucy smiled, agreeing with his statement. "I think he's too nice for his own good", said Yona, idly staring at the clouds as they walked. "I can only imagine what it's like having a power like that", uttered Lucy, thinking aloud. Yona watched her expression carefully. It seemed she still know the whole story. She shrugged it off as not her business. The time would come when Lucy would learn the entire truth about Valentine. Telling her wasn't Yona's place.

To be continued...


	3. Chapter 3

Lost Echoes, part 3

The group made it a decent distance for their first day. Setting camp didn't take long. Everyone chatted around the fire. Blythe even managed to encourage Kavi to play a few songs, Ronen and Rani joining in. Yona dragged the girls to dance with her while the guys sat back and enjoyed the atmosphere. After a while, Kavi offered his guitar to Gajeel. His songs weren't quite so smooth, but they still had fun. Eventually, everyone began to settle in for the night. "I'm sleeping with Jeel-kun!", announced Blythe, cheerfully hugging his friend's arm. Gajeel sighed, knowing it was useless to argue. Yona laughed at the face he made. "Does that mean I can claim Natsu?", she teased. "I think you're all old enough to keep to your own beds", stated Kavi, reading calmly by the flames. "That never stopped you", smirked Yona. Without looking up, Kavi grinned faintly as she held her ears and fell tot he ground. "All right! I give! I'm sorry!", she wailed. Turning the page of his tome, he seemed indifferent, but Yona staggered to her feet and gave him a dirty look. Annoyed, she stormed off into the night. "Should we go after her?", asked Levy nervously. "She'll come back once she's cooled down", said Kavi, unconcerned. "What did you do?", inquired Lucy. Closing his book, he meet the gazes of the fairies. "I simply disrupted her balance. The inner ear contains fluids and tiny crystals to maintain a person's balance. I sent a mild vibration into that fluid, agitating the crystals and causing her to become disoriented. It's nothing harmful, I assure you", he explained. Taking his leave, he walked the opposite direction to enjoy another smoke.

Blythe smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry. Yona-chan is very hard to control and Kavi-kun does his best. He's really, very patient. It's just, sometimes she says things that upset him", he said. "She really doesn't have a filter, does she?", offered Levy, faintly grinning. Lucy chuckled, remember their misadventures together. "She really doesn't", she said. "Excuse me if I'm prying, but what made him so upset?", asked Wendy, joining the trio. Blythe quickly tried to wear his "everything's okay" smile, but it only came across as a little sad. "Kavi-kun is a complicated person. Some days he needs some help to get on. That's all", replied Blythe. Wendy sat beside him and offered a sympathetic ear. "He said you saved his life", uttered Lucy. Blythe nodded shyly. "Its not something I like to talk about, but I'll tell you if you really want to know." Thankfully, Wendy had enough empathy to sense something was wrong, despite Kavi's placid expression. Now, she felt the sadness behind Blythe's smile. He sighed and related the events as such...

Three months ago, Blythe was walking the desert near his home. He often visited the abandoned mines for nostalgia as well as seeking bounty marks that could be hiding. That day, he found a stranger. A man with dark skin and deep purple hair sat at the bottom of the basin, where Gajeel once lived with Metalicana. Blythe observed silently at first, until he say the man turn his face to the heavens and release a heart wrenching scream. He ran as fast as he could. When he skid to a halt, the man turned with tears lining his face, one shattered lens in his glasses. His tuft of beard was disheveled, as if someone had held him down into the sand. He was covered with minor wounds and a mix of his own blood, sweat, and tears. Blythe reached out slowly and asked, "Are you okay?". The man simply stared, amazed anyone was there. Blythe kneeled before him and gently wiped the blood from his face with his cloak. "I'm guessing you're a long way from home", he said, offering a kind smile. "Who are you?", asked the man cautiously. "No one important around here", chuckled Blythe. "My name is Blythe Sandrunner. And you are?" The man seemed to hesitate. Shying his gaze and tugging his torn clothing back into place, he uttered, "Kavi...Kavi Drupada." When he turned his face up once more, a beautifully warm smile awaited him. "It's very nice to meet you", said Blythe. "I live near here. Why don't you come with me and we'll get you cleaned up?", he said, offering a hand to help him up. Slowly accepting the gesture, Kavi carefully inquired, "You live with those monsters?". Blythe's innocent smile shattered. He knew what happened. "You're a mage, aren't you?...Why didn't you fight back?"

Kavi held his tongue, but his eyes said enough. Blythe grinned faintly. "You didn't want to hurt them, did you?" Kavi began to smile himself. Adjusting his broken spectacles, he said, "Just because you can harm someone doesn't mean you should." Blythe smiled whole heartedly. "You're very wise." Kavi shook the growing sense of confidence from his mind. "You should just leave me here. Go home." Kavi stared, wondering why this stranger refused to move. He took note of the dagger at Blythe's side. "May I see that?", he asked. "What do you need it for?", asked Blythe, concerned. Kavi let out a short, dark laugh. "You don't get it, do you? I came out here to die." Blythe's expression grew cold, almost angry. Kavi clenched his eyes as he strode toward him, only opening them in shock to find he was being embraced. "What are you doing?", asked Kavi, rigid and unsure. "You need this", replied Blythe, holding him tight. Kavi's body began to quiver and finally collapsed as he sobbed into Blythe's scarf. Who would have thought? What were the chances? Two strangers met in the sands of a hostile area and now they shared a bond, a hug, and each other's tears.

Blythe refused to let go until Kavi had gathered himself emotionally. "Better?", he asked, a soft grin on his lips. Kavi smiled despite himself as he wiped his face. "You didn't really come out here to die, did you?", he asked sadly. Avoiding those big eyes, Kavi replied, "Of course I did...I'm the last one of my guild...What good is a pacifist dragon slayer?". "Probably the best kind", stated Blythe. Kavi looked at him in wonder. "The power to fight is common. The wisdom of when to do so is rare", offered Blythe kindly. Kavi couldn't explain why, but this odd fellow made him feel at ease. "You won't leave me alone, will you?", he smirked. "Not a chance", beamed Blythe. Ignoring further arguments, Blythe took Kavi home with him, avoiding the villagers. He tended his wounds and listened to his story all with that warm smile of his. He never asked about the horrible scars all over Kavi's body. Once he was satisfied with his medical work, he offered his new friend a warm meal. Three bites in, Kavi broke into tears. His spoon clattered to the floor as he covered his face. "Why are you helping me?", he sobbed. "Why wouldn't I?", replied Blythe. Kavi stood and slammed his shaking hands onto the table and stared with mixed emotions. "I'm a mage, a dragon slayer. What would want with me?". Blythe's face seemed to light up. "Did you say dragon slayer?". Kavi nodded, unsure where this was going. "My best friend is a dragon slayer", beamed Blythe. Kavi slumped back into his seat. He didn't understand. This area was known for hating magic.

The night passed without incident. Over the next few days, Kavi slowly began to open up. He was from a guild known as Serpent Wing. They had been attacked by an unknown assailant, leaving everyone, but Kavi (who was out) and the guild master (who resides elsewhere) dead. He was guilt ridden by the fact he wasn't there when his friends really needed him. As time went on, he spoke more of how the guild was the only home had had since Gita, the sound dragon, had left him. Even his human family wanted him dead. Details were sketchy, but it seemed Gita had saved the young Kavi from bleeding to death at the hands of his own father. That much explained many of the scars the decorated his skin. The worst of all was the huge area of scaled skin that covered his throat. Kavi called it "Gita's first gift". Only in time would Blythe learn more.

Weeks passed and Blythe was satisfied that Kavi had sufficiently healed for travel. During their time together, Blythe had told him details of his own dark past and his destructive family. He really had no reason to stay where he was, merely waiting for his sister's next visit that may well take his life. They agreed to travel together. Kavi didn't want to leave Blythe alone in that village of tyrants and Blythe didn't want Kavi being alone and falling back into his personal darkness. Blythe told him he couldn't do any magic, but Kavi insisted it would work out. "Just come to the guild", he'd said, and so Blythe did. He was glad to help recruit new members and to have a new home that actually appreciated and cared for him. Eventually, another dragon slayer happened into town. The guild master said she must be brought into the guild, so Kavi and Blythe offered her a home. Tired of seeing the world alone, she accepted. The guild made a good place to start over. It was only later that she eventually met her ailing master. Nothing could have prepared her or Blythe for who they were going to actually meet, but once they had, a new purpose dawned over both of them. Save their master's life. Thus, at their recommendation of Fairy Tail, Kavi sent out a letter and everyone was set into motion. If they only knew what they were dragging their friends into...

To be continued...


	4. Chapter 4

Lost Echoes, part 4

After hearing Blythe's tale, Lucy went looking for Yona. She'd been gone quite some time and, while she could take care of herself, Lucy was still trying to be her friend. She found Yona hurling fallen branches into the night in pure frustration. "What do you want?", asked Yona, not turning around. "I came to check on you", replied Lucy. Yona glanced over her shoulder. With a sigh, she spun around to face the spirit mage. "It just isn't fair!", she vented. Lucy stood silently awaiting the rest. "Haven't you noticed that Blythe gets way with everything and I say one little thing and I'm suddenly the bad guy!" Lucy thought it over and Yona was right. Kavi was tougher on her. "Maybe Kavi has a reason to be nicer to Blythe", ventured Lucy. Yona crossed her arms in a huff. "You would take their side", she sneered. "I'm not taking any sides!", argued Lucy. Yona grabbed a nearby stick a smashed it to pieces against its parent tree. Lucy sighed and said, "Blythe told us about how he met Kavi and how sometimes Kavi needs some help." Yona laughed. "Help? Help, my ass!" Lucy said nothing, letting her vent. Rolling her eyes, Yona said, "Well, actually it's Blythe's ass, but you get the picture."

Yona smirked at Lucy's red face. "Don't tell me you hadn't figured that out already. I thought between you and Natsu, you were supposed to be the smart one." Beginning to feel better, Yona kicked at some loose stones idly. "Well, as long as they're happy, right?", ventured Lucy. "Sure, you can say that", replied Yona, "You don't have to be the third wheel all of the time." Yona flopped to the ground, poking dirt around with a stick. Lucy sat beside her, looking for what to say. "I'm sure they don't mean to exclude you or anything...", she trailed. Yona sighed, "I know. I really do, all right? Both of them had it rough as kids. I get that." Lucy offered a kind smile that said, "So did you". Yona idly tossed a stone up and down in her hand, thinking. "You're not so bad, Princess", she grinned. Silence drifted through, then Yona said, "I lost my family, but at least they didn't try to kill me." Lucy nodded quietly. "It just bugs me is all...I mean, he's a freaking dragon slayer and he doesn't want to fight anyone. He just uses those little tricks of his like he did on me. I don't think I've ever seen him draw someone else's blood. I just don't get it." Lucy thought a moment and offered, "Maybe he's seen enough violence." This prompted Yona to stare directly into her face. After an awkward moment passed, she said, "Maybe you're right."

The next day, the group set out. Now that there were no prying ears, Kavi felt comfortable answering their questions. "So, we're looking for a temple?", inquired Levy. "Exactly. We'll know by sight alone", replied Kavi. "What does it look like?", asked Happy. "It's carved into the rock - a mourning woman marks the entrance", said Kavi. "Why is she crying?", inquired Wendy. Kavi grew silent. Eventually, he responded, "The cult that built it was not a gathering of happy people." Natsu wasn't exactly interested in the history lesson, but he did want to know why they needed five first generation dragon slayers to retrieve some relic. Keen as always, Kavi said, "I'm sure several of you are wondering why we've gathered this way. The cult was run by dragon slayers. They wanted to create something more powerful than themselves during the war with the dragons." Gajeel smirked. "That's gotta be some weapon." Without turning to face him, Kavi replied, "Indeed. But it wasn't exactly a weapon." Lucy wasn't sure she'd like the answer, but she asked anyway, "What was it?".

Kavi paused in his tracks and turned to face everyone. His lips were drawn, but he held an even expression. "Immortality. More exactly, a way to create an immortal being." Pulling one of his tomes for all to see, he opened a marked page that showed some archaic writing and small diagram of the temple entrance. "The result of their research is unknown, but they say it has the potential to save a life from any form of death", he explained. "So, you really are trying to save your master", said Lily. Replacing the book, Kavi replied, "Of course we are." "So, what's wrong with him?", asked Natsu bluntly. "Her", corrected Ronen. "Okay, what's wrong with her?", said Natsu. The members of Serpent Wing stared at their leader with a concerned look. "Is it that bad?", asked Charle. With a deep sigh, Kavi said, "Our guild has a secret. It's something that no one outside of the guild has ever known. Yona and Blythe trust you. That's why we came to you for help." The fairies exchanged glances. "We won't say anything", ventured Levy. The others nodded and offered assuring grins. Kavi glanced around the area. Even though there were in the middle of nowhere, he waved everyone closer. "Our master is not human."

To be continued...


	5. Chapter 5

Lost Echoes, part 5

Serpent Wing has secret. "Our master is not human", said Kavi. "Not human?", repeated Lucy in disbelief. "What is she?", asked Wendy. Kavi grinned mildly. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." He started back down the path without another word. Everyone looked to Blythe. He smiled brightly and said, "Sorry! Sworn to secrecy!", and happily followed Kavi. All eyes then turned to Yona. She sighed, annoyed. "Why does he always pull shit like that?!", she ranted. "Seriously, what is she?", asked Natsu. Yona smirked as she met his gaze. "Don't think too hard about it", she said playfully. Everyone mulled it over as they followed after Kavi. "There's no way", scoffed Gajeel. "Are you sure?", teased Yona. "It can't be", uttered Charle. "There aren't left", added Happy. "Is she really?...A dragon?", ventured Levy, speaking everyone's thoughts. "Not exactly. You're half right", replied Yona. "Just spit it out!", snapped Gajeel. Everyone halted. Kavi turned calmly. "She's a naga." The look of surprise was almost humorous across the fairies. "Naga's are just a myth", stated Lily. "Says the talking cat", taunted Yona.

"She's really very nice", said Rani. "But very old", added Ronen. "What's a naga?", asked Happy, confused. "A naga is a mythical beast whose is half human and half snake. It our master's case, she's the last of her kind", explained Kavi. Blythe popped over his shoulder, hugging his neck with a wide grin. "She's actually half naga and half dragon!", he beamed. Lucy stared at Blythe's guild mark. It was actually starting to make sense. "To be more precise, she's a naga that sustains her existence on dragon's blood", said Kavi. "It makes her look more draconian", added Yona. "That's amazing", uttered Levy, still taking it in. Natsu seemed irritated and all eyes settled over him as the chatter ceased. "Are you telling me we're after dragon's blood?", he asked carefully. "No. Something more potent", replied Kavi. "What's stronger than that?", inquired Lucy. Kavi sighed. Adjusting his glasses, he said, "We don't know what it is exactly yet, but there's something out there." Gajeel looked at him with an odd expression. "How do you even know that?", he asked sceptically. "One of guild is a seeress. The visions are never perfectly clear, but give enough details to set us on the path to where we need to go", explained Kavi. "Is that right?", replied Gajeel. "Yes", said Kavi calmly, "I met her in my travels after the guild was wiped out. She's the one who pointed me toward your home town. She told me I would find what I seek there. I sought an end, but found Blythe instead." Blythe hugged Kavi with the same 'snuggle face' he used with Gajeel. "On my way home, I asked her to come with us and she did", finished Kavi.

Idle chatter continued as they progressed onward. Kavi ignored the whispers behind him. The fairies were skeptical and surprised. When night fell, camp was set without incident. Rani stared at Kavi for a while before approaching him. She tugged his sleeve, getting his attention. "Please play for us", she said with a warm grin. Kavi smiled warmly at the exceed. "Did you want to sing again tonight?", he asked, humoring her. She shook her head and pointed at Blythe. Ronen seemed to smirk. "That would be a treat", he stated. "You can sing?", asked Levy, glad to get to know him better. Blythe nodded shyly. "It's the only use the village had for me. I used to sing all the dirges", he uttered. Gajeel grinned as he relaxed. "I haven't heard your voice in a long time", he ceded. After some prodding, Blythe gave in. Everyone cheered encouragingly as he stood beside Kavi. Kavi strummed his guitar, creating a sad melody with Ronen's fiddle. Blythe's voice completed the picture, a song so moving, there wasn't a dry eye in the camp. Applause followed the performance. Blythe teasingly got close to Yona's face, peering at the single tear she was fighting. "Shut up!", she said, punching his arm. Wiping her face, Levy asked, "Why such a sad song?". Blythe grinned sheepishly. "They're the only ones I'm any good at", he replied, playing with his nails. "It was beautiful", said Lucy, offering a kind smile. Shaking the emotion, Natsu yawned. It was time for sleep. Kavi had told them they should reach their first marker the following day and should they succeed, he would gladly introduce them all to his guild master. That seemed to cement the deal as the fairies were intrigued and excited at the prospect.

As promised, they stumbled over some oddly placed stones along their path the next morning. Kavi directed the group, occasionally checking his notebook. They were close. The trees were thick here, making progress slow. Once Gajeel had hacked through the roughest area, the forest cleared away. A lake laid before them. On its opposite side, a large carving decorated the rock face. It was the upper body of a woman, covering her eyes, seemingly distraught over something. "Finally! Water!", shouted Yona, running passed everyone to make a cannon ball. Kavi got drenched, but only sighed mildly. "So predictable", he uttered. "Ooohhh, can't we take a swim break? Pleeeease?", begged Blythe, making the biggest, sparkliest eyes he could. Giving in, Kavi grinned faintly. "Very well." "Yay!", cried Blythe, squeezing him tightly before running toward the water. He tossed his scarf and arm coverings aside and kicked off his boots. Yona laughed as he attempted (and failed) a dive to match hers. One arm stretched from the water next to a circle of bubbles. "He can't swim, can he?", asked Natsu, somehow unsurprised. "Of course not; He's lived in the desert his whole life", spat Gajeel, begrudgingly going in after him.

When the two broke the surface, Yona laughed loudly at Blythe's failure. "What a loser!", she crowed. He clinged to Gajeel like a rescued damsel. "I knew you wouldn't let me drown!", he beamed. Gajeel carried him as far as the shallows then dropped him abruptly. "Don't be such an idiot", he scowled. Blythe smiled nervously as his friend wrung out his hair. Levy chuckled at their banter. Lucy, too, was amused to see this side of her guild mate. It wasn't long before Rani and Ronen joined their partner, playfully having a splash fight. Just because they were small didn't mean she would hold back. A massive wave washed them far onto shore. When the water receded, Happy looked at them with worry, but they simply laughed. One by one, the fairies joined in. Blythe stuck to the shallows, playing with his feline guild mates. Only Kavi stayed on dry land. He was reading one of his tomes, seemingly oblivious to the fun he was missing.

"Aren't you coming, Kavi-san?", asked Wendy. He glanced up to her friendly smile and found himself grinning in return. "I don't think so", he said. She nodded and returned to Charle. "Can't you swim either?", teased Natsu. "Kavi-kun's a little shy is all", stated Blythe. "Shy? About what?", snorted Natsu. Blythe was trying to think of an answer when Kavi sent him an assuring smile. "It's all right, Blythe." He turned his focus back to his fellow dragon slayer. "I have many unsightly marks. I don't want to disturb the girls's fun", he explained. "Scars are nothing", grinned Natsu, showing his neck and abdomen. "Natsu, don't bother him", chided Lucy. "You may proudly wear yours, but mine aren't so forgiving", said Kavi, turning back to his book. Blythe got out of the water and sat beside him with a sad expression. Before Natsu could say anything else, a ball of water hit him squarely in the head. "What the hell?!", he gargled. Yona laughed triumphantly as he turned to give her retribution.

Lucy joined the two boys on the grass. "Sorry about Natsu", she said. "It's fine", replied Kavi. He could feel her staring at him. Dropping his book, he met her gaze. Blythe stopped his pitiful stare into oblivion with interest. "This is why", said Kavi, loosening his tie. It took a moment to undo a few button,s but when he skin was bared, Lucy was mildly horrified at what she saw. Thick scales covered much of his throat. He quickly replaced his clothing to hide it again. "Now you know", he said sullenly. "What happened?", asked Lucy, still in shock. He judged her expression briefly. Deciding her interest was genuine, he answered, "Gita saved my life. When I was a child, my father ripped out my throat with own hands. He was sickened by me...who I am...My new mother, Gita managed patch the hole. I couldn't speak for years. She taught me sound magic so that I could revive my voice. She said that no one should be robbed of their speech as it was surely the best way to communicate." Lucy stared into the dirt as she listened. Returning her gaze, she offered a soft smile. "She's very wise", she said. Kavi grinned faintly, glad she understood. "I'm sorry about your father...I didn't see eye to eye with mine, either", she ventured. "My mother taught me that he was no loss to the value of my life. In fact, I was much better off without him", he replied. Shaking various memories from her mind, she called to her friends that it was time to get out. After a wave of complaints, everyone stretched out on the grass to dry. When they were, it would be time to enter the temple.

To be continued...


	6. Chapter 6

Lost Echoes, part 6

The mix of two guilds stood near the rock face, looking for a way in. The weeping statue was proof enough they had found their mark. Finding no obvious entrance, Kavi placed his palm flat against the stone and closed his eyes. A heavy pulse rushed forth, knocking a few of the exceeds off their feet. Gajeel watched with interest, wondering what Kavi was capable of in a fight. After a moment, Kavi opened his eyes and waved his comrades over to follow him. They found a sealed doorway several yards down from the statue. "That's amazing!", said Levy. Kavi hid his shy grin and said, "It's nothing. The question is - How do we get in?". Yona smirked and threw a a wave of water without warning. Several of the mages were now soaked, but the door collapsed as she intended. "Yay, Yona-chan!", beamed Blythe, ignoring his dripping clothes. Unamused, Charle said, "Your friends are interesting." Rani smiled and Ronen laughed. Natsu tried not to laugh at the soaked felines, but he couldn't hold it in.

After a moment of laughter passed, Yona grabbed Natsu and shoved him forward. "You first, Flashlight". Lighting his fist, he led the group in. Kavi didn't need the light, quite capable of echo locating his way through the darkness, but he humored the mages that had come so far to help. Eventually, they stumbled into a large chamber. "What is this place?", uttered Lucy, peering at the archaic equipment within. A long table held many unknown devices and rotten tomes. Magic circles had been carved into the floor near two large, shattered glass tubes. One was marked "Wahid". The second was so disfigured, on "Fa" could be made out in the gloom. A chill ran down Lucy's spine at those inscriptions, though she wasn't sure why. Her gaze settled on Natsu as she fought off the feeling. "Lucy, look!", cried Happy. She joined him at a stack of books beside Levy. Most were damaged from water and time, but one was still legible on the cover. It said, "Valentine". She peered at it closely, but the pages were stuck fast. "What do you think it means?", inquired Levy.

Beside them, Yona peered at the book. Her eyes flickered momentarily at the title. "Well, I'll be damned", she smirked. She grabbed the tome from Lucy's hand and looked it over. "Hey!", cried Lucy, worried she would damage it. "Chill out, Princess. I can't hurt it. It's magic", said Yona. Running sea water from her finger tips, she showed Lucy that no liquid actually touched the book, instead beading and rolling off. She handed the book back, bored with it. "Yona, it this about our Valentine?", asked Lucy carefully. "Our? I think you mean your, and yeah, it is", replied Yona. "I didn't know they had books about individual spirits", uttered Levy, taking a closer look. "They don't", said Lucy, still confused. Sliding it into her pack, she turned her focus to helping the others.

Wendy and Charle stood in the center of the chamber, staring down at spiral pattern below their feet. "Is this important, Kavi-san?", she asked. Stepping beside her, he kneeled down at inspected the carved stone. Rising, he sent her a reassuring smile. "Yes. You've found the next marker", he replied. She grinned, glad to be of help. Natsu seemed less interested. He looked at it flatly. "What's so special about it?", he inquired, unimpressed. Kavi waited for everyone to gather before explaining. "What we're after will be in the vaults below. As you may have guessed, this is ancient site. It was used for research and worship. Whatever was in those tubes is long gone. It should be relatively safe to press on." Levy glanced toward him with question. "Relatively?", she repeated. Blythe stepped forward and said, "We don't really know what or who could be down there. The cult is supposed to be extinct, but..." Gajeel sighed, "But what?". "We might get to kick some ass after all", beamed Yona. Lily smirked at her attitude. "That still doesn't explain why you need all of us", said Natsu. Kavi met his gaze and replied, "The vault is supposedly locked via magical means. It takes five different people to open it, all using different types of dragon slayer magic at once." Natsu blinked plainly, not having expected that answer. "That's some lock", he grinned. Kavi smiled faintly and motioned everyone to step back. Blythe set to work on what was deemed the lock for the spiral and within moment a whirling click sounded and the stones began to move. He beamed proudly. "Sometimes I come in handy", he stated sheepishly. "You're just a valued as we are on this team", said Kavi. Yona rolled her eyes. Ronen explained, "Blythe has training as a bounty hunter. That gives him skills such as tracking, lock picking, and stealth. It comes in handy." Rani smiled and added, "He's also good for the team morale." Blythe blushed at the praise.

The stones settled into a staircase that spiraled into the depths below. "Be aware of your steps", warned Kavi, taking the lead. Natsu followed behind him, lighting the way for his guild mates. Bored, Yona flicked droplets of water into the flame making a hissing noise. Kavi gave her a mild glare and she stopped with a 'hmph'. At the bottom, it was dank. An awful scent filled the air, hitting the dragon slayers the hardest. "What is that?!", spat Yona. "You don't want to know", said Kavi, stepping over something in the darkness. Natsu turned up the heat, bringing the chamber to light. They were ankle deep in muddy water. Algae and partially decomposed corpses lined the wall. "I didn't think anyone would be down here", uttered Gajeel. "They couldn't have been here long", observed Levy. "Yeah, they're still squishy", sneered Yona. Happy climbed onto his partner's shoulder, Rani doing the same to Kavi. Wendy carried Charle while Ronen and Lily walked through the sludge. "I wouldn't be so sure", said Lily. Lucy felt it, too. Something powerful permeated the air.

"Over here", called Kavi. A large stone circle with intricate designs took up a large area on the wall. Sure enough, five carved hand prints could be seen. Each dragon slayer placed their palm on one of the marks and, at Kavi's nod, released their magic. The flame Natsu sustained with his free hand went out. The stone cracked down the center and slid apart. The other side as dry and seemed to light at their presence. They all stepped out of the murky fluid, but something wasn't right. All of the slayers stared at their palms. A strange mark had appeared on each hand that unlocked the door. Even worse, none of them could feel their magic. "What gives?!", fumed Natsu. Gajeel grabbed Kavi by the shirt and stared him down. "You knew about this", he glared. Blythe jumped over, hugging Gajeel's arm, trying to pry his fingers loose. "Jeel-kun, no!", he pleaded. "It's all right", said Kavi calmly. Slowly, Blythe let go and took a step back. "Did you?", asked Lucy, worried. "There's no cause for alarm. Our magic is part of the temple right now. It's what's lighting our way", explained Kavi. With several unsure glances down the hall, it seemed true enough. With the torches burning various colored flames, pitfalls and dead ends could be easily seen and avoided. "We'll get i back, won't we?", asked Wendy. Holding Gajeel's furious stare, Kavi simply replied, "Yes, at the end of the vault." Gajeel pushed him aside, annoyed. Without a word, he started down the long corridor. Adjusting his glasses, Kavi didn't seem particularly upset, simply following his lead.

Several yards into the hall, something triggered. A strange voice said, "IMPURE". The walls opened up and the group was separated. Something grabbed Lucy, dragging her into the darkness. Yona grasped her hand, trying to pull her free, but ultimately ended up falling into the void with her. Natsu scanned the walls carefully, ready for the next attack. "IMPURE." This time, the ceiling opened. Something grasped Levy and hauled her away, Gajeel along with her. The group closed itself tighter. The floor opened, taking all five exceeds by surprise. "Dammit!", yelled Natsu. "IMPURE." Before he could move, Blythe and Wendy were gone. Natsu stood alone with Kavi, unsure of what was next. Nothing happened. That odd voice said "PROCEED". Natsu turned to his new comrade for answers. For once, Kavi's placid expression was gone. He squinted ahead, almost angrily, and grit his teeth at his own foolishness. "What just happened?!", demanded Natsu. "We should have made them wait outside", uttered Kavi. "It sensed there weren't one of us", he said, scanning the area cautiously. "Make sense!", yelled Natsu, worried for his friends. Kavi took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "This place was created by and for the sole purpose of use by dragon slayers. Their memory must have somehow imprinted on the temple itself. Whatever fail safes they behind picked up on a different magic and removed what it deemed to be intruders."

"What do mean 'removed'?", asked Natsu carefully. Kavi ran his fingers over the wall where it had opened. "I don't think they'll be harmed", he uttered. Natsu glared, irritated. "Don't think?" How the hell would he even know? "Then why did it take Wendy, Gajeel, and Yona?", inquired Natsu, unsatisfied. "Didn't you see?", asked Kavi, "They were all holding onto someone that was being taken." Natsu flexed his fingers, uncurling the unintentional fists he'd made. "They'll be safe as long as they stay together. The temple won't hurt a dragon slayer", stated Kavi. "What about Happy and the others?", questioned Natsu. Kavi grew quiet, unsure himself. "When we get what we came for, it should disable anything the vault set into motion. Everyone should just fine so long as we hurry", he explained. Natsu sighed, annoyed. "Fine. Then let's get this over with." He strode down the hall with determination. He tried hard not to blame Kavi for what went wrong, but he was the only one who would have had any chance of knowing. Now they were all separated and stuck without their magic. He had no choice, but to keep his faith in comrades strong.

To be continued...


	7. Chapter 7

Lost Echoes, part 7

The temple had removed those it deemed 'impure', taking unintended targets as well. The group was shattered into pieces. Somewhere in a dark room, Blythe whined, "Ooowww". He was face down on the stone floor, Wendy having landed on top of him. "Where are we?", asked Wendy, peering into the gloom. Torches flickered to life at the sound of her voice. Realizing where she was sitting, she leapt to her feet. "Are you all right, Blythe-san?", she panicked. He sat up with his usual grin. "I'm fine", he said, ignoring the blood seeping from his nose. "You're bleeding!", she said, pressing her sleeve to stem the flow. He smiled at her kindness, but assured her, "Don't worry. I never bleed for long." A moment later, she stepped back, and sure enough, the flow had ceased. "See? I'm fine", beamed Blythe. Wendy let out a sigh of relief. His injuries could have been a lot worse. "Where are we?", she asked again. Blythe got to his feet and scanned the area. "Hard to say. Kavi-kun has all the research on this place", he replied. Blushing faintly, he said, "Forgive me, Wendy-chan. It's my fault you're lost." She waved her hands as if to say everything was fine, offering a kind smile. "Don't say that. I just wish I was strong enough to have helped you." His eyes sparkled at her innocence. Unable to contain himself, he cried out, "You're so cute!", and squeezed her tightly.

Elsewhere, Lucy rubbed her head, trying tot get her bearings. "Any idea where we are?", she ventured. "Hell if I know", snorted Yona. The faint glow of fire light flickered down a short corridor. "Sitting here won't do us any good. Come on", said Yona, offering Lucy a hand. Getting to her feet, Lucy said, "Thanks for trying to save me." Yona seemed to smirk at that utterance, knowing her attempt had been fruitless. They started off toward the light, having nowhere else to go. They walked in silence for a while. Eventually, Yona observed, "Is it just me or do we not seem to be getting any closer to that light?". Lucy paused and thought it over. She was right. "Where else can we go?", inquired Lucy. Yona pounded her fist into the wall, annoyed. Something inside the stones whirled and clicked. The girls stepped back as an opening emerged. "That's more like it", grinned Yona. They entered the new walkway, proceeding with caution. Lucy glanced at her keys. She wanted to ask Yona more about the tome. As if on cue, the dragon slayer said, "If you really want the truth, ask Valentine. I don't remember much, but I know Kaur would have killed to get her hands on that book." Lucy grinned to herself. Her ally's instincts were spot on. "What do you remember?", she asked with interest. Yona sighed, trying to recall any important details. "Kaur was in love with him. You know that much", began Yona. Lucy nodded, following closely behind. "She always told me stories at night, trying to be a good big sister, I guess...One night she told me a story I hadn't heard before. Looking back, it was obviously about the two of them", grinned Yona. "She said something about a powerful and forbidden spell. I can't remember the details now, but she said something about a book that would let Valentine stay by her side", she added. Lucy thought this over. Was it possible to give a spirit enough to power to allow them to summon themselves for prolonged amounts of time like Loke?

At another point in the temple, Gajeel carried Levy on his back. She badly hurt her ankle when they landed. With little choice, but to move on, he ignored her protests and lifted her off the ground. He was just glad Blythe wasn't they to harass him about it. He could already picture the smug grin on his face. "Gajeel, I can walk on my own", repeated Levy. "Not likely, Shrimp", he replied. She blushed deeply, his hands supporting her legs as she held onto his shoulders. "But I'll be fine", she uttered meekly. Glancing back toward her, he said, "You'll slow us down." She turned her gaze away, irritated. Smoothing it over, he said, "You'll just make it worse if you keep putting weight on it." Thinking his second statement through, he added, "Not that you're heavy or anything." She grinned at his awkward words. "Do you have any idea where we're going?", she asked, lightening the mood. "Continuing onward, he replied, "No, but this has to lead somewhere." He was right about that much. The dusty chamber they had been pulled to had no other exits.

Back in the vault's main hall, Kavi and Natsu reached an end to the corridor they had traveled. Natsu stared at the dead end flatly. "Now what?". Kavi was checking his notes, carefully re-reading everything he had written. "Can't you just do that pulse thing again?", asked Natsu, trying to speed things along. Kavi gave him a look that said, "Really?", reminding him that they were both currently powerless. Natsu grinned sheepishly, having temporarily forgotten that annoying little fact. "You said this place was some kind of lab or something, right?", he asked, carefully running his fingers over the wall before them. Kavi nodded, returning to his book. "What difference does that make?", he inquired, not watching his comrade. Natsu smirked as he punched the stone as hard as he could. It barely cracked, but the echo was enough to tell them there was another open space on the opposite side. Calmly putting the tome away, Kavi grinned faintly and uttered, "I guess we do this the old fashioned way." Natsu smirked. Now they were speaking the same language. Both readied their fists and a synchronized attack ensued.

The last group, the exceeds, heard a something resonating in the stone around them. "What is it?", asked Rani, shyly stepping behind her brother. "I'm not sure", replied Ronen, trying to pinpoint the sound. Lily grinned toward Happy, an idea forming. Charle seemed annoyed. "Whatever it is, it better not lay a finger on Wendy", she said, crossly. "Don't worry. I'm sure the others will keep her safe", stated Ronen. "She was with Natsu. They'll be fine", offered Happy, unaware of their separation. That statement seemed to soothe her mildly. Several more sounds echoed around them, causing dust to rain down from the ceiling. One very loud 'crash' and the noise stopped. "Whatever it was, it's gone", said Ronen, assuring his sister. Rani nodded and took a good look around. Charle watched her carefully. How could someone so quiet be partners with someone as loud as Yonaguni? The thought didn't last long as a vision invaded her mind. Her eyes widened and she began to shudder at the scenes in her mind. "What's wrong?", asked Ronen. "I think she's having a vision", supplied Happy, watching her carefully. She snapped back to reality, slightly panicked. "We have to find Wendy!", she demanded. "What's wrong?", inquired Rani. "What did you see?", asked Lily calmly. Charle stared pensively at the ground, shaking her head. Clearly it was something she didn't want to think about ever again. "Well?", prodded Ronen. "Blood...Lots of blood", she uttered, still visibly shaken. Happy put a firm paw on her shoulder, offering his support. "Who's blood?", asked Rani nervously. Meeting her gaze, Charle replied, "I couldn't tell." Unable to go back the way the fell, they had no choice but to follow a staircase nearby. Lily lead them while Rani kept a sympathetic eye on her new friend. glad such visions didn't haunt her own mind.

To be continued...


	8. Chapter 8

Lost Echoes, part 8

Natsu grinned at the hole he and Kavi had pounded into the stone. The chamber before them sparkled with lost treasures. Before setting foot inside, Kavi said, "Don't touch anything." Natsu nodded, not really listening. The duo strolled into the vault, awed at its contents. Natsu stared at an array of amulets, each glimmering with magic. "Which one did we come for?", he asked absently. Kavi carefully scanned the room. "I doubt it would be something so simple", he uttered. Jewelry, gems, gold, swords, armors, and even fine garments littered the scenery. Kavi thought it over and said, "Those chambers when we first came in were labeled with names. They must have some meaning." Natsu shrugged, "Sure, but how would we even know? These guys have been gone for centuries, right?". Kavi took a deep breath, determined to find something that would save his master. "Let's be logical. This cult subsisted mainly of dragon slayers. If we wanted to make something stronger than us, what would it be?". Natsu smirked, "That's your problem. Most of us aren't logical like you." Kavi grinned, ceding the point. "What do you suggest?", he inquired keenly. Natsu thought it over, but didn't have an answer. They would just have to look harder.

Elsewhere, Yona and Lucy reached the end of their tunnel. A massive library sprawled out before them. "Great, more books", snorted Yona, unimpressed. Lucy stepped forward and scanned the titles carefully. Each shelf seemed to have its own purpose. One contained tomes of mythical creatures, another held scientific research. Yona looked around on her own, trying to find something interesting. She called, "Sweet!", pulling Lucy's attention away from the shelf she was nearing. "What is it?", asked Lucy. Yona held a book over her head triumphantly. "I found one about Llyr!", she crowed. Lucy hurried over, interested to see what it said. "Aww!", whined Yona. The pages were written in an archaic language. "Dammit. Where's Kavi when I need him?", she huffed. "Kavi can read this?", inquired Lucy skeptically. "Sure he can. Nerd knows like thirteen languages", shrugged Yona. She handed the tome to Lucy, mildly irritated. The cover clearly said "LLYR" in golden letters, but inside was something entirely unintelligible. Lucy turned to find where the book had come from. Several more tomes bore the names of dragons. Yona sat on a desk nearby and stared into the ceiling. "This place sucks!", she stated. Lucy replaced the tome to its rightful place and took another look over the library. Thousands of books lined the walls, most of them likely in that same strange script.

Curious, she pulled the book titled "VALENTINE" from her bag and scanned the cover. The font was the same as the other books. Glancing over with boredom, Yona noticed the tome. "That's it! You're a genius, Princess!", she beamed, hopping to her feet. "I am?", uttered Lucy, unused to praise from her comrade. Yona snatched the book and held it near one of the emerald torches jutting from the walls. "He can probably read this scribble scrabble", smirked the dragon slayer. Lucy pulled Valentine's key at looked it win question. Was it possible? "Do you think it's safe to use celestial magic here?", inquired Lucy, recalling the vault hall. Yona sighed and rolled her eyes. "Don't be stupid. Valentine comes from the call of blood. Now pick a vein and don't be a wuss about it!" Lucy maintained a nervous, but friendly grin. Was she serious? "Well?", demanded Yona. Lucy sighed. She really was serious. "Oh for crying out loud", scoffed Yona. She grabbed the key and ran it across Lucy's forearm. She never noticed the sharp edge on it before, but it made perfect sense. Blood dripped to the floor as Yona squeezed the wound. Lucy's expression contorted, but she said nothing, refusing to be seen as weak again. When enough had collected, Yona dropped the key into the liquid. Lucy was still awed at the sight of her blood boiling into human form. When the last drip had fallen, Valentine stood in his pure white clothing, completely untouched by the red.

"Lucy-san, is something wrong?", he asked. Before she could answer, his eyes grew wide and a visible shiver ran through his body. Glancing around, he stated, "You shouldn't be here." Yona playfully slapped his arm as a 'hello'. He turned his gaze to her, seemingly angry. "You never should have brought her here. Neither of you are safe!", he said firmly. Yona stepped back in surprise. With a grin, she said, "Who knew? You do have a back bone." Annoyed, he grabbed the wrist of each girl and began leading them toward the far end of the room. "You have to get out of here." Yona yanked free and stared him down. "Chill out. This isn't like you", she glared. He sighed and his expression softened. "Forgive me. I haven't always been the pushover you remember. This place is dangerous. Please, you two have to leave immediately." Lucy looked to him with worry. "What is this place?", she asked with a shaky voice. Valentine turned his face, staring into the gloom. "If I tell you, will you leave?", he inquired grimly. "Our friends are still here somewhere. We can't leave without them", stated Yona. He met her eyes resolutely. Pressing a hidden loose brick in the wall, he opened a new path. "Come on", he said, more of an order than a suggestion.

The girls followed him silently for several minutes. Lucy was very aware that he was in pain. Perhaps the wounds he'd taken from her and Natsu still hadn't healed. After all, time in his world passed much slower. "Are you all right?", she ventured, concerned. He didn't respond. A few more yards down, he pressed another stone and yet another door opened. Without warning, he grabbed Yona and shoved her through, resealing the door. Her muffled obscenities could be heard as she pounded against the stone with rage. When Valentine met Lucy's eyes, she almost cried from the sadness he poured forth. "Don't worry. She's in my room. She'll be fine", he assured. "Your room?", she uttered, still confused of their connection. "This place seems empty now", he said nostalgically. "What happened here?", asked Lucy. She waited for his silence to break. Finally, he said, "This is where I died." Lucy stood in shock. Her ears must be playing tricks. "Spirits can't die", she said, uneasy. With a sad grin, Valentine stated, "I wasn't always a spirit. I used to be human just like you."

"What?!", cried Lucy. She covered her mouth shyly at her own outburst. Valentine blushed lightly, having expected at least that much. He motioned for her to sit, ready to explain. The two sat against the wall on the floor, ignoring Yona's threats. "Four hundred years ago, I was a test subject here. It wasn't by choice. The man in charge of the cult bought me from my parents", said Valentine. "That's awful", uttered Lucy. "They couldn't afford to raise me and needed money to feed themselves, so they had little choice...I don't blame them", he replied, staring into nothing. "The cult that operated here was fairly small despite the size of the location. A few dragon slayers had gotten together, determined to end the dragon war. Someone they met offered to help them by creating an immortal solider. He was a mad man and he owned my life. I saw others die before me in excruciating pain. As a child, I cried myself to sleep, wondering if I was next. When I got older, I ran out of tears. I guess I just accepted my fate...", he trailed. Lucy listened closely, her eyes moist at his cracking voice. She knew it was hard for him speak about, but she had to know the truth. "He tried a lot of experiments with all sorts of forbidden magic. The lucky ones died swiftly. Others -...", he trailed off again, shaken. Regaining his composure he continued, "He got an interest in celestial magic one day, plotting to over throw the spirit king and rule the entire celestial plane, but he needed to know if it was possible to gain entry first...That's where I came in."

He spoke at length, describing the horrors visited on his body. There were days when he was completely numb, others he was in agony, and the worst of them all was when his body was torn between the two worlds. His physical being tried to exist in two planes at once and it simply wasn't capable of doing so. Thus his owner took the next step. "He told me I would be the first step to ending the war, that my sacrifice was for the greater good. That book is all that's left of my body." Lucy stared at the tome in her arms. "He used my blood to make the ink and even bound it in skin torn from my back." She dropped the tome, disgusted and alarmed. Valentine picked it up and his fingers over the cover. "One day he said his research was complete. He tore the bone from forearm and crafted my key. As he wove the enchantments, my eyes turned white and the color fled my skin. His assistant was overjoyed at the signs. The last thing I remember was the feeling of my heart being moved from one plane of existence to another...It's a sensation I wouldn't wish on anyone else." Lucy sobbed at his words. She pulled him into a hug and whispered, "I'm so sorry", over and over. He smiled softly and returned her embrace, telling her it wasn't her fault. There was no reason to apologize.

"I don't remember much of my first days in the spirit realm, but I do recall my first summoning. Since he forced the magic, I couldn't come through a gate like the others. 'Sacrifice demands sacrifice' is what he said. When called with his blood, I was incomplete, a bloody mess of sinew and rough features. It was pure hell...The next time I was called, he used his assistant's blood and I made it through the transition. She stared at me like a monster. It was only by mistake that I discovered my power. She turned her terrified eyes back my master. He decided that she was a liability, that no one else could know how he did it, so he sliced her throat open. That was the blood that called me..." He sighed, shaking his old feelings. "Despite what she had helped him do to me, I couldn't let her die. I ran to her side and took her hand. I guess my soft nature caught up with and I began to cry. When I did, the gaping wound in her neck began to seal and felt a horrible pain in my own. When I looked down, my white clothes were bright red. I must have fainted. I remember her thanking me as I lied on the floor, my vision going dim. The last I saw of her that day was when she turned on our master and slew him. Haunted by her deeds, she passed my key down for generations until I ended up with Kaur." A single tear fell at the mention of her name. "You really loved her, didn't you?", ventured Lucy. "I did", replied Valentine, starting to cry.

Several minutes later, when they had both regained their composure, Valentine released Yona from her temporary prison. She stormed out and decked him square in the chin. "Do you have any idea how dusty it is in there?!", she scowled. He waved his hands nervously and apologized profusely. After he'd managed to get her calmed down, his time was up. He sent Lucy a sad smile as he faded back to the spirit world. Yona grumbled, "I see how it is. Let's lock Yona in a dusty old room and tell our epic story without her. What a prick!" Lucy glared. "Didn't you hear anything he said?", she asked, trying to control her ire. Yona sighed. "Yeah, I heard all of it. I have good ears, remember?". Lucy clutched the book close to her chest and demanded, "Then why on earth did you hit him?! You heard what he went through!" Yona crossed her arms indignantly. "Yeah, but me being pissy is the only way he knows me. What did you expect me to do? Let him see me cry?", she snorted. Lucy saw Yona's pink cheeks and began to calm herself. This girl truly was hopeless.

"So, are we going to pout around here all day about crap that happened way before we were born or are we going to find our friends?", said Yona, glancing at Lucy with one eye. Lucy slowly put the tome back in her bag and sighed. Yona relaxed her posture. "Maybe you can find a way to help him one day, I don't know...But to do that, we have to get out of here first", she ventured. Lucy nodded. She was right. "We'll regroup and get what we came for. When your guild master is safe, then we can focus on Valentine", she uttered. Yona smirked, glad she as getting through to her. "Come on, Princess", she teased and lead the way. Determined to help her friend, Lucy followed. She would undo Valentine's curse one day. She just knew it.

To be continued...


	9. Chapter 9

Lost Echoes, part 9

Blythe and Wendy meandered onward, searching for a path back to their friends. He let Wendy lead, hoping her instincts would show them the way. After all, this temple made it clear he was not welcome. They chatted as they walked, learning more about one another and becoming good friends. He adored her kind nature and she could see his, as well. "So, Kavi-san got you into the guild even though you can't use magic?", she inquired. Nodding, he replied, "Yup. Our master is super nice. I think that's why Kavi-kun likes her so much. She doesn't care where we came from or who we are. She chooses to only see the good in people." Wendy smiled to herself. If only the rest of the world was so wise. "What do mean by 'who you are'?", she asked, "Isn't ho you are what makes you precious?". Blythe worded his response carefully. After all, she was only a child. "Well, not everyone is like Kavi-kun and me...Not everyone approves", he uttered shyly. She grinned at his red face. She understood more than he gave her credit for. "As long as you're happy, why should it matter what anyone else thinks?", she beamed. He was about to sweep her into another crushing embrace when he caught wind of approaching footsteps. He peered into the darkness and threw one of his knives. His aim was near perfect and his swift change in demeanor caught the young dragon slayer off guard. He stood in front of her protectively as a large shadow came into view. This was a side of him she was unfamiliar with. She'd heard tell of his days as a bounty hunter, but his bright smile didn't seem to fit into the violent lifestyle. Now she saw his training in action. He stood ready with a throwing needles in one hand and his other slowly gripping the pistol in the back of his belt.

Whatever was coming was close now. It turned the corner. Blythe and Wendy both let out a sigh of relief. Gajeel chewed the thrown blade and looked at his old friend with a smirk. "Another one?! Come on, Jeel-kun! I don't have an unlimited supplies of those!", cried Blythe, stomping his foot. Levy peered over the dragon slayer's shoulder shyly. "Hi guys", she grinned. "Are you all right?", asked Wendy, running forward to check her comrade. "I'm okay. I just sprained my ankle", said Levy, trying to assure the girl. Wendy looked close. "It's now sprained; It's broken", she stated. "Told ya", snorted Gajeel. Levy sighed. She had lost that argument and now there was even more reason to carry her. "You guys okay?", asked Gajeel. Wendy nodded cheerfully and said, "Blythe-san took good care of me." He smiled sheepishly at the praise. "I didn't really do anything", he uttered meekly. "You caught me when we landed and you protected me just now", argued Wendy. Blythe's eyes grew large and sparkly once more. "You're so nice!", he beamed, fighting the urge to snuggle her again.

Gajeel glanced down the path they had come from. Crossing off the two paths each team had taken, they had two options to go forward. A familiar scent drifted from one corridor. Setting Levy down carefully, he suggested they wait. Sure enough, several minutes later, the exceeds appeared. Gajeel smirked as Blythe praised him zealously for his skill. Charle ran to Wendy and spoke of her vision. "Apart from Levy, we're all fine", replied Wendy. "It wasn't this hall I saw. It was a room", argued Charle. "Well, we're all together now, so we'll be all right", offered Blythe. Wendy apologized for worrying her friend and for not being able to heal her guild mate. All conversations aside, they had one path left. Gajeel gathered Levy onto his back once more and the group headed out. Blythe offered to help, but Gajeel just smirked and assured him she didn't weigh much. Rani stayed close to Blythe and her brother as they walked. Happy and Lily brought up the rear of the group. They walked for what seemed like hours.

Finally, a large circular chamber opened up before them. Charle hesitated, telling Wendy this was the room she had seen. Glancing around, Blythe teased, "You can tell no one's been here in a long time. Look at these cobwebs." The faces of his friends told him he really should turn around. Slowly looking, he spotted what they saw. A huge arachnid stood poised for attack. Blythe's pale skin lost any trace of pigment as he stumbled backward. "What is that thing?!", he stammered. Lily took a closer look, unsure of his eyes. "It's dead", he stated, showing the others by hitting one of the legs. A collective breath of relief passed through the group. Just as nerves were beginning to relax, an eerie sound drifted down from the rafters. Everyone stared up into the darkness. "It's not dead. That's a molted exoskeleton", said Ronen. "You mean it's even bigger now?!", panicked Happy. "Calm down!", snapped Gajeel. "But we don't have any magic", said Wendy with worry. The air was completely still, like the calm before a storm. "We'll just fight it without magic", said Gajeel, holding his steely gaze toward the rafters. "That's gotta be one big show", said Blythe nervously.

The creature finally lowered itself on a silken thread. When it touched the ground, its imposing stature made everyone tense. It three times the height of Gajeel and just as wide. Several sets of eyes stared at the intruders as hideous mouth pieces scrapped against themselves. Levy's grip on Gajeel grew tighter. She whispered his name, unsure what they should do. The mutant spider hissed at a deafening level. "Get the girls out of here", ordered Gajeel, slowly lowering Levy to her feet. Blythe stood solidly beside him. "I don't think so. I'll distract it. You go", he argued. The beast reared up off it front most legs. "I can hear you, you fools", it screeched. "It talks?!", screamed Happy. "It's been too long since I've had company...or a good meal. Try not to take it personally. I have to eat just like everyone else", it said, seemingly taunting. A blast of silk knocked Charle, Happy, and Rani to the ground. Fighting against the sticky mess only entangled them further. Lily drew his blade and tried to cut them loose. "Wendy! Get out of here!", shouted Charle. Gajeel charged the giant arachnid, fists ready. It let him land a hit just to prove how strong its exoskeleton really was. It laughed mockingly. "Pity you lost your powers, little dragon slayer", it teased. A swift flick of its massive leg and Gajeel was sent reeling back toward his comrades. Dusting himself off, he glared at it, spitting out a mouthful of blood as if it were nothing. "Jeel-kun, please go. I can handle this. It's just like the scorpions back home", stated Blythe, sizing up his mark. Lily looked to him in interest. He never saw anything like that during their visit, but that didn't mean they didn't exist.

"They make scorpions that size?!", said Happy, slowly getting free of the silken fibers. Blythe smirked, a determined look in his eye. "We can't just leave him all alone", said Rani, concerned. Ronen helped pull her free and reminded her, "He's tougher than he looks. He'll be fine." Wendy turned her worried eyes to Levy who in turn nodded to Gajeel. "Go ahead. We'll catch up", he retorted. A harsh "Gajeel!" caught his attention. Blythe stared him down defiantly. He meant business. He never used his full name. Finally giving in, he grabbed Levy and Wendy and bolted for it. "Don't you dare die on me!", he ordered. Blythe smiled as if to say, "Wouldn't dream of it". The monstrous spider knocked over a pillar, blocking the fleeing fairies' path. "Oh no. I've gone hungry far too long", it said, salivating heavily. It spat at Blythe, sending a hissing cloud of mist directly at him. Rani called out his name in panic. When the dust settled, he remained on his feet, mildly burned, but seemingly otherwise unharmed. "Too bad for you, I'm immune to poison", he beamed at the beast. "Try having an immunity to this!", screeched the monster, stabbing its sharp limbs wildly at him. Ronen and Lily nearly ran out to help, but a firm hand from Gajeel told them to stay out of it. Lily nodded, confident in his partner's trust. Ronen sighed, but obeyed, watching closely as the fight progressed.

Blythe seemed to move almost faster then the fairies could visually follow, gracefully dodging each attack. "What's he doing?", asked Wendy, unsure. "Just watch", smirked Gajeel. Finally the trap was set. Blythe pulled hard on a wire that attached to a spool on his hip. The spider crashed to the ground, cursing him. "This won't hold long", he panted, tying it off. Climbing the squirming beast, he pulled the one blade he never threw. He plunged it hard into the arachnid. It howled in shock that he managed to find a flaw in its body armor. A loud 'SNAP' resounded as he pried off a chunk of the exoskeleton. Then, he disappeared from sight. "Don't tell me he - ", uttered Levy, shocked. A moment later, the giant ceased its writhing. A gore covered arm reached up. Running forward, Gajeel took ahold and pulled. Blythe slid out completely drenched in blood and other fluids, but smiling proudly nonetheless. He seemed to snicker along with Gajeel at the victory. Levy watched with a kind smile. It was rare to see him laugh. Sloughing off copious amounts of gore, Blythe wiped his face as best as he could. "Jeel-kun taught me that one", he beamed. Noting the expressions awaiting him, he opened his arms wide and lyrically taunted, "Who wants a hug?".

To be continued...


	10. Chapter 10

Lost Echoes, part 10

Kavi and Natsu searched the vault thoroughly. Finally, they found a small vial containing a glowing blue liquid. "This has to be it", said Kavi. Despite his own instructions, he picked it up. He'd left his comrade across the room and thought nothing of it, but that decision would come back to haunt him. As he palmed the frail bottle, the torches flickered violently. Tensing at his own folly, he turned to find Natsu. "Salamander, where are you?", he called, the flames having dimmed. An unsettling laughter crept from the darkness. Adjusting his glasses, he called, "Natsu?". The lights returned to normal. Natsu stood over a large pile of golden treasures with back turned. Shaking the unusual occurrence, Kavi stepped forward. "Not another inch!", yelled Natsu angrily. "What's wrong? Are you all right?", asked Kavi cautiously. Natsu glared over his shoulder, taking on an aggressive stance. "This is mine. You got yours!", he growled. Kavi glanced at the vial. He must have made a mistake. Something was happening, but how could he fix it? "Natsu, you're not yourself. Just calm down", he said soothingly. Natsu turned to face him, a deranged look in his eyes. "Not myself? How would you even know?", he laughed darkly. Kavi carefully took a step forward, noting the nervous tic on his ally's face as he did so. "I told you this is mine! Don't make me kill you", seethed Natsu.

Holding his ground, Kavi took another step. "The temple's done something to you, but we can fix it. I just need you to think this through", he explained. "I don't need to think about anything. You need to get away from my gold", sneered Natsu. Granted Kavi didn't know the wizards of Fairy Tail well, but he was sure this wasn't Natsu's normal behavior. Calmly, he held out his hand. "Is greed more important than finding your friends?", he inquired, keeping direct eye contact. Natsu seemed to waiver for a brief moment. Shaking his head, he shouted, "Stop messing with my head! They would want me to have this!". Kavi offered a kind smile in the face of the salamander's rage. "You're making fun of me, aren't you? That smug grin of yours is pissing me off!", yelled Natsu, readying his fists. Kavi shook his head. "No, I'm trying to help you. Just hear me out", replied Kavi. Refusing to hear another word, Natsu ran forward and punched Kavi hard enough to knock his glasses to the floor. Kavi took a deep breath and waited for the offending fist to retreat. Natsu looked at him in question. "I won't fight you", stated Kavi. Cracking his knuckles, Natsu grinned, "Fine by me." Lost to all reason, he rained down a heavy barrage on his new friend, unaware of his own actions. Forgetting he was fighting another dragon slayer, he was confused as why his opponent was still standing with that calm look in his eyes.

"What's wrong? Why aren't you defending yourself?!", snapped Natsu. "I have no reason to harm you", replied Kavi serenely. Annoyed, Natsu crushed his glasses below his shoe. "Doesn't that piss you off? Now your precious books are useless!", he taunted, trying to egg him on. "They can be replaced", stated Kavi. Pushed to his boiling point, the insane dragon slayer tackled his comrade to the ground and hailed down punch after punch. This went on for several minutes. "What's wrong with you?! Stop looking so damn peaceful!", shouted the deranged mage. His irrational behavior was getting worse. He growled like a feral beast and even clawed at his pinned victim. Seeing the red aura in his eyes, Kavi knew this was his last chance to get through. "Listen to me. What about Happy? What about Fairy Tail?...What about Lucy?", he asked. It almost seemed like a breakthrough, but things quickly turned sour. The thoughtful expression on Natsu's face faded into some form of primal hatred. "You can't have them! They're mine!", he seethed. He attacked, savagely scratching at Kavi's torso. Unpacified, he went in for the kill, the only way such a beast would. He bit down hard on his victim's throat. The fact that no blood seeped out only served in infuriate him further. After several failed attempts to rip out the jugular, Natsu sat back and stared at the ripped clothing. Kavi's collar had been destroyed, revealing his scales beneath. Natsu stared in confusion, logic trying to tame his irrational rage. Kavi met his eyes and evenly said, "Now do you see? My mother saved me again. What would your father say if he could see you now?".

Something inside Natsu snapped. He grasped his head in his hands and fell sideways to the floor. Ignoring his wounds, Kavi calmly sat up and watched closely. A loud scream echoed throughout the vault as Natsu fought to regain his senses. Once he stopped shaking, Kavi set a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Are you all right, Salamander?", he inquired with genuine concern. Slowly, Natsu sat up and struggled to focus his vision. He stared at the blood covering his hands in alarm. "What happened?", he asked shakily. Looking up, he had his answer. Kavi was bleeding from several places, but he maintained a calm expression. "I think the temple just tested us", he replied. The multicolored flames that lit the torches flickered to a normal orange hue. Natsu looked back to his hand. He could feel his magic returning. A quick test of lighting a finger confirmed it. He glanced toward Kavi who sat with a distant look. "Did I hurt you badly?", he asked sheepishly. Kavi twitched one ear, something Natsu didn't know he could do. "I can hear the others. They're below us...Several floors below us", he stated. Natsu grinned, glad Kavi's magic had returned, as well. He got to his feet and offered a kind hand to help him up. Kavi accepted the gesture without ill will. Natsu handed him his shattered spectacles with a sheepish smile. "Sorry. I don't know what came over me..", he trailed. Dusting himself off, Kavi replied, "No need to worry about it. You weren't yourself. Besides, it's the past now. We should focus on finding the others. There's no telling what this place might do to them." Natsu nodded, glad Kavi as so level headed. "Which way?", he asked. Kavi set his hand on the floor and sent out a pulse, getting a mental image of the building. "This way", he said, leading. He set his broken glasses on the table where he had found the vial. A fair enough trade on things considered. Now, he had to find his friends.

-

Elsewhere, Yona and Lucy had found a chamber with similar tubes to when they first entered the temple. "No names", observed Yona, inspecting them closely. Lucy looked around for anything helpful. In the shadows, she found what looked like a torture rack. It was stained with blood from a long time ago. A pedestal nearby was covered in decaying notes in the same ancient language as the library books. The next thing she found made it clear where she was. A robed skeleton laid on the floor, reaching one arm out as if crying for help. Set deep in the rib cage was a ritualistic dagger. They had stumbled onto Valentine's death site. A shiver ran down her spine at the realization. Yona stood over the remains with a mix of emotions. "This must be the asshole that did it", she said solemnly. She, too, had figured out where they were. In one swift movement, she stopped her foot over the skull, shattering it to pieces. "Yona", uttered Lucy in shock. The dragon slayer sneered at the dead man. "He deserves worse. Just look what he did to Valentine! And who knows how many other people he tormented?!", she seethed. Kicking the bones, she added, "And worst of all he almost caused me not to exist!". She snorted with her arms crossed. Lucy couldn't help, but grin faintly. It was true. If the assistant had died, Kaur and Yonaguni would never have been born. Once again getting a chill, she said, "Let's get moving. I don't like it here." She turned to face her friend, but Yona wasn't there. Lucy quickly scanned the room. She found Yona silently praying over the table that once held Valentine against his will. Stepping beside her, she joined in prayer. It was the least they could do. After a moment, Yona sighed. "Okay, where to now?", she asked, eager to move on. Lucy really wasn't sure. They were walking blindly through the complex. A faint 'tink' caught their attention.

Lucy quickly grasped her key ring and stared at it in wonder. Valentine's key was trembling. "What the hell does that mean?", asked Yona bluntly. "I don't know. I've never seen them do this", replied Lucy. A familiar voice spoke out behind them. "I think he's trying to show you the way out", offered Loke. "Who're you?!", demanded Yona, taking on a defensive stance. "it's okay! This is Leo, a spirit", explained Lucy, trying to avoid an incident. He offered a friendly smile and said, "My friends call me Loke." Yona stared at him as if contemplating her next move. Stepping close, she poked him several times. "So this is one of the zodiac?", she thought aloud, continuously prodding him. He snickered, either amused or simply being tickled. She took his laughter for insult and stood directly in front him, staring him in the eye. "What's so funny?!", she snapped. "Yona, please. He's a friend", pleaded Lucy. "I'm sorry. I'm just not used to such a greeting", he teased. He took her hand and turned up the charm. "Any friend of Lucy's is, of course, a friend of mine, and so pretty, too", he said, leaning to kiss her hand. She quickly pulled it free and slapped him hard across the face. "What kind of pervert are you?!", she yelled, her face bright red. Lucy tried not to laugh. It was about time his womanizing caught up with him.

Adjusting his glasses, Loke sighed, "Spurned yet again". Several more 'tink' noises resounded, reminding him of why he came. "You think Valentine's trying to point the way?", asked Lucy, unsure. He stared at the white key with an intense sense of sadness. "He doesn't want you to be here longer than you have to", he replied. "You met him?", inquired Yona, slowly calming herself. "I know of him", said Loke. Avoiding further detail, he held out his hand. Lucy gave him the key. Grasping his hands around it, he closed his eyes and a bright glow emanated from his grip. He handed back the key with a grin. "I loaned him some power. He should be able to navigate this place for you now." Yona peered over with interest. "You can do that?", she asked, still unsure of him. Lucy added the key back to her ring. Sure enough, it pointed almost straight out. "Awesome!", cried Yona, slapping Loke hard on the back. He shuddered at the impact, but played it off with a smile anyway. "Just follow his directions. He'll keep you safe", said Loke, fading back to his own world. Yona shrugged with a sigh. "All right, Valentine. Lead the way", she said, pushing Lucy in the direction his key pointed. With luck, he would know the shortest route back the surface.

-

To be continued...


	11. Chapter 11

Lost Echoes, part 11

The fairies were searching for a way out of the chamber that confined them. The spider had blocked the only exit (without doubling back) with a heavy pillar. Gajeel was irritated. If he had his magic, this would be nothing, but he didn't. He, Blythe, and the transformed Lily all heaved, trying to budge the stone structure. He glared mildly at his childhood friend as he slipped yet again. He was still coated in the entrails of the arachnid and, even worse, was starting to smell. "Dammit!", snorted Gajeel, punching the thick pillar. "We can always go back and look for another way", offered Wendy. Happy and Rani flew through the rafters overhead, looking for another way out. "I don't think we'll get anywhere like that", replied Ronen. Charle stayed close to her partner, still uneasy about this place. She had clearly seen this room in her vision. Rani flitted down, exhausted. She shook her head in response to her brother's inquiring eyes. Happy landed not long after. Levy solid script was giving them light to search by, but it was beginning to fade. Blythe stared at the floating words with wonder. Then it finally hit him. "Levy-chan?", he began. She turned him awaiting his question. "Can you make a hole like that?", he asked. Gajeel smirked. It just might work. "I can try", replied Levy. A moment later, "HOLE" was written across the pillar. Sure enough, a space large enough to walk through appeared. "You're amazing!", praised Blythe. "It was nothing. I'm just glad you thought of it", she replied with a kind grin.

They were finally on their way. Blythe apologized profusely for the sticky factor whenever he bumped into someone, but there was really nothing he could do about it right then. Charle began to relax as they left that room behind them, glad it was just a fluke in her mind. Her ease didn't last. The next chamber they found looked much the same. The exceed began to shake as she realized the details of the decor was spot on to her premonition. "What wrong?", asked Wendy with concern. "This room is a trap", stated Charle. "Are you sure?", inquired Levy. The exceed nodded. The door ahead of them was barred tightly. "Now what do we do?", asked Happy. "Maybe one of those switches does something useful", ventured Ronen. Glancing back, Gajeel could make out five separate switches in the dim light. The wall sconces flickered in various hues, a sign their magic was still at work. Lily approached the first switch cautiously. With a grunt of effort, the ancient device finally moved. The bars on the door shivered, but did not move. "Looks like we'll have to move them at once", sighed Gajeel.

He set Levy down at one switch and took his place another. Lily, Blythe, and Wendy covered the other three. "Ready? On three", said Levy, "One, two, three!" The rusted metal screeched at the strain. Strange sounds clicked inside the walls and the bars slowly slid back into the stone, freeing their exit. "That wasn't so bad", beamed Blythe, having expected something worse. Just as those words left his lips, each switch glowed faintly. Lines ran from each, merging at a central point in the center of the room. "That can't be good", sighed Ronen. The torches blinked on and off. Something was happening. "Nobody move", ordered Gajeel, waiting to see what was occurring. Where the lights met on the floor, a central pillar of light shot up into the darkness above. A huge lens hung from the ceiling. As the light hit it, it refracted into myriads of small rainbows across the chamber. Wendy watched with wide eyes. It all seemed so pretty. Was it really dangerous? Dust drifted down from the rafters as something moved. In the blink of an eye, a massive wooden stake, at least 6 inches thick, struck the ground where Wendy had been standing.

She lied in the floor in shock. What just happened? Sitting up, she cried out in terror. Blythe was face down, the stake sticking straight out of his back. He'd been pinned to the stones beneath him. He offered a kind smile and said, "Are you okay?". Shaking, Wendy ran to him. "You saved me", she uttered with a shaky voice. He grinned in relief that she was unharmed, ignoring the blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. Gajeel was on the scene in an instant. Looking over the damage, his face was grim. Lily helped Levy away from her switch, lest something else should come down. Just as the duo cleared the spot, the other stakes crashed down. If not for Blythe's reflexes, Wendy would be dead and if not for the rot of ages, so would the rest of them. Blythe grinned faintly at his long time friend. "What a face", he teased. Levy covered her mouth at the sight of his blood quickly flowing out of him. Rani placed her small paws on his arm and cried as she stood beside him. "Is there anything we can do?", asked Ronen solemnly. Gajeel slowly shook his head. "If he pull it out, he'll only bleed out faster", he replied darkly. Wendy sobbed, disbelieving her eyes. "Why, Blythe-san? Why did you save me?", she wept. "What kind of person would I be if I didn't?", he replied serenely.

His vision was starting to blur. Not wanting to give up, Gajeel pulled of his shirt and pressed it to the wound, attempting to prolong his friend's life. "I thought you always said you don't bleed long", he teased, trying to lighten things. Blythe chuckled briefly, which quickly turned into a deep cough. Blood spewed over Wendy's panicked face as she sat helplessly, wishing she had her magic. "Sorry", panted Blythe, seeing the result of his spasm. Wendy shook her head and told him not to worry about it. She took his hand tightly in her own and begged him to hold on. "What's wrong with this place?", asked Happy, fighting to hold in his tears. Charle stared with mixed emotions, damning the fact she was right, but still glad it wasn't Wendy after all, then cursing such feelings all together. "Don't you dare give up", said Gajeel, pressing hard onto the wound. His hands were coated in red. "Don't be sad, Jeel-kun. It's for the best. Wendy-chan is much more valuable than I am", wheezed Blythe. "Don't say that!", cried Wendy. No one noticed the flames returning to their normal orange hue.

"Maybe we can burn it shut", ventured Ronen. Gajeel nodded and the exceed ran to gather a flame. When he returned with it, things didn't look good. Blythe's already pale skin was nearly white. His eyes were dim and the flow of blood was letting up, not because the wound was sealing, but because there was simply no more to flow forth. Blythe grinned faintly. "Jeel-kun? Why is it every time we get together, something like this happens?" It was true, during their last time together, both of them had nearly died. "Gajeel, look", said Levy. He snapped his eyes to her, annoyed. Then he saw what she meant to show him, the fire was normal. "Squirt, try your magic!", he barked. "What?", asked Wendy, confused. "Now!", he demanded. Snapping out of it, she nodded and tried her best. She smiled in relief as magic flowed from her fingers into Blythe's skewered body. Everyone seemed to breathe collectively at the sight of it. "Hold on. I'll save you, too!", said Wendy. "You hear that, Blythe?", grinned Gajeel. Nerves were already running high, but now there was an eerie silence. "Blythe?...", he trailed. "Blythe!", he yelled. Nothing. Wendy shook her head, repeating, "no", over and over, doubling her efforts. Slowly Ronen placed his small paws over her hands and shook his head. Her magic ceased as she sat breathlessly disbelieving what had come to pass. Tears streamed down her face as she threw herself against her savior's body, weeping loudly.

His blood covered much of the floor, seemingly none left within his body. Gajeel stared at his red covered hands in silent shock. This couldn't be real. Lily helped Levy beside him. She dropped to her knees and hugged him tightly. "I'm so sorry", she whispered. The light pillar in the center of the room was still shining brightly. It began to turn a deep red color, prompting Happy to stare at it. Blythe's blood had run into the channels the light from the switches had traveled and was now mixing with whatever magic this place was using. A burst of bright pulled the moist eyes away from the floor. Strange lights started circling the pillar. "What's happening?", asked Rani, crushed at the loss of her friend. Her brother held her close for comfort, but had no answer for her inquiry. The orbiting lights began moving faster and faster. One by one, they shot out, destroying the wooden stakes that had fallen. Gajeel's hands fell at the loss of wood, squishing into the hole left behind in Blythe's corpse. He pulled his shaking hands back slowly, unable to pull his eyes away from the gaping wound. Then, without warning the humming light orbs converged and headed straight for Blythe. His corpse jolted as the magic entered his body. "It is possible?", uttered Lily. Charle watched with wide eyes. "Please", she thought.

The pillar of light flickered out, leaving the room dark in contrast. Unsure, Gajeel grabbed the torch Ronen had retrieved and held it toward his fallen friend's face. "Blythe?", he asked carefully. Nothing seemed different. Wendy slowly sat up and stared at the stones beneath her. She could feel liquid moving against her skin. Levy gasped in a mix of shock and awe as Blythe's blood began to flow back into his body. "Did you do that?", asked Rani with hope. Wendy shook her head, unsure of what was happening. "I can only heal people; I can't bring them back", she uttered. Gajeel watched closely. He knew he wasn't imagining what he saw. Blythe's skin was slowly pulling itself back together. "What?", whispered Levy. Sliding free of her arms, he sat forward and shook his friend's shoulder. "You in there?", he inquired, unsure. Thick dark lines began to run from Blythe's eyes against gravity. Instead of flowing to the floor, they followed the form of his face as if he was upright. A closer look confirmed it - it was no paint or trick, his skin had simply shifted pigments in those places. Gathering her nerves, Wendy took his hands once more. "Come back...Please come back", she pleaded.

Gajeel pressed his ear to his friend's back. Nothing - no heartbeat, no pulse. He listened close, hoping for a miracle. His eyes shot wide open. Quickly rolling Blythe over, he propped him up and tapped his face. "Blythe, wake up!", he encouraged. "But Blythe doesn't have any magic...", uttered Rani in shock. "He does now", grinned Lily. Blythe was still unresponsive, but he did have vital signs, however impossible that was. Gajeel pulled open one of his eyelids with his thumb. To his surprise, Blythe's amber eye was now blood red. Finally, he gasped for air, relieving everyone around him. Gajeel grinned, glad his worst fear had not come to pass. Charle, too, smiled at the a happy end to her horrid vision. Everyone gathered around him, mage and exceed alike, each calling his name. His eyes began to flinch as he fought to revive himself. "Jeel-kun?", he said weakly, "What happened?". The dragon slayer offered a kind smile. "You just scared the shit out all of us". Blythe tried to sit up, but quickly recoiled into Gajeel's arm, holding the place he'd been run through. Wendy gently grasped his hand. "Let me see", she assured. Too weak to argue, he relaxed and let her have a look. She focused her magic on that spot and after a few minutes, the color returned to his face.

Faint footsteps had been approaching for several minutes now, but now had noticed due to the circumstances. Happy jumped in surprise at the shadowy figure now standing behind Gajeel. "Who're you?!", gasped the exceed. Gajeel slowly lowered Blythe to the ground and turned to face whoever had sneaked up on him. "What a rare magic type. I'm impressed", said a female voice. "Who are you", repeated the dragon slayer. An old woman shuffled into the light. "I wasn't sure he was going to make it", she stated calmly. "Did you do this?", inquired Levy. The woman chuckled, amused at the thought. "The temple does what it wants. I'm the only one it's let live here in a very long time. My name is Maiara. I'm a scholar who came here many years ago", she explained. "Your friend is quite unique. Such a gift only comes along every few hundred years", she added. "Gift?", said Gajeel, still unsure of this stranger. "It's an incredibly rare type of magic that blurs the line between life and death. He's a lucky man", she said, offering a kind smile. "Blythe's not a mage", stated Ronen. "Did this place give him magic?", asked Rani with interest. Maiara shook her head and replied, "No, child. The temple is incapable of creating or giving away magic. It can only make use of what its given. Seeing you here must mean that at least one of you is a dragon slayer." Levy slowly nodded. "Two", she stated. "I see. This boy here must have had this latent ability all along. It takes quite the trauma to kick start one's magic sometimes", said the old woman. Gajeel got lost his memories. "I never bleed for long", echoed in his mind. He remembered all of the horrible injuries he watched Blythe survive growing up, most inflicted by his own family. He was an unusually fast healer and scars never seemed to be an issue, no matter how bad the injury was.

"That actually makes sense", he uttered, thinking aloud. "It does?", asked Levy, surprised by his sudden statement. "What else can you tell us?", inquired Ronen with interest. "Better yet, maybe you should tell us how you got here", added Lily. All eyes turned toward the woman, with the exception of the focused young dragon slayer. "I'll be glad to answer any questions you may have, but let's go somewhere more comfortable, shall we? These old bones don't last long is these drafty ruins", grinned Maiara. Once Wendy was content with her healing, Gajeel scooped Blythe up and carried him as they followed this strange old woman. Levy leaned onto Wendy to support her broken ankle while they relocated. Gajeel couldn't help but glance to his friend's sleeping face as they walked. His eyes and skin had returned to normal. He would have quite the surprise when he woke up again.

-

To be continued...


	12. Chapter 12

Lost Echoes, part 12

Everyone now sat comfortably in a warm, well lit room. Wendy focused her efforts on Levy's ankle while Gajeel spoke with Maiara. She offered a change of clothes for Blythe and was attempting to swap them herself. Finally Gajeel stepped in and took over. Levy watched shyly as the gore coated shirt was pulled from her friend. It was truly astounding. There was barely a mark where that gaping hole had been. The old woman washed him down and the dragon slayer redressed him. He was resting peacefully now, his usual dreamy expression on his face. "Quite remarkable", said Maiara, rising the rags in a bowl. "Will he be all right?", asked Rani with concern. "He should be fine after a good rest", assured the old woman. Rani watched Blythe sleep, afraid to look away lest he stop breathing again. "What kind of magic did you say that was?", inquired Ronen. Maiara passed tea out to guests and took a seat in large, plush chair. "It's an archaic type of blood magic. The last documented user lived some 250 years ago", she explained. "Blood magic?", repeated Levy. "What else could have saved him? That boy was dead", said the old woman calmly. Wendy glanced to her savior at that statement, but kept her magic on Levy. "The old stories say that only one person could ever use it and that soul resurrects every now and then. Your friend must be the reborn wizard", offered Maiara, sipping her tea.

"How do you know all this?", asked Levy carefully. Maiara chuckled. "My child, I told you. I'm a scholar." Levy watched Gajeel's expression with concern. Was he all right after what had happened? He seemed withdrawn, likely lost in his thoughts. "Can it be used on anyone other than the caster?", inquired Lily, trying to find out more. "Yes, I imagine it can", replied the old woman. Gajeel's expression flickered briefly. He and Levy shared the same thought. Blythe must have been the one that saved Gajeel on that altar before, or at least kept him alive until Levy could use the scale. "Mind you, I'd keep a close eye on him from this point", said Maiara, staring toward Blythe. "Why?", asked Rani. "The last user I read about lost his mind. The power of controlling someone's blood was too much of a burden", replied Maiara. "Isn't blood mostly water?", asked Happy. "Yes. A few water mages can manipulate it on occasion, but the blood itself only holds so much power. The real power of this magic type is the soul", she explained. "Souls?", repeated Charle, unsure. "Very few people can see passed the fleshy exterior of another person", stated the old woman. To Wendy, this made perfect sense. Blythe was so kind and soft natured. He always saw the best in everyone.

As the conversation went on, Blythe started to murmur in his sleep. Gajeel and Wendy ran over for a closer look, joining Rani at his side. After a moment, he yawned deeply and stretched. "Good morning", he beamed. The relieved smiles awaiting him threw off guard. Wendy leapt into a hug, glad he was all right. He laughed with delight, returning her embrace. When she let go, he stared into her face and said, "I had the strangest dream." It finally hit him that he was somewhere unfamiliar. "That was no dream", stated Gajeel. Blythe scanned the room, taking in all of the worried looks of his friends. "It wasn't, was it?", he said slowly. Trying to resume his fallen grin, he turned back toward Wendy. "I knew you could do it", he grinned, thinking she had saved him. Fighting her tears, she shook her head. "I didn't save you...You died", she uttered, tears beginning to fall. In an instant, he was panicked. "Don't tell me we all died!", he cried. "You're not dead, Boy", said Maiara, suddenly appearing beside Gajeel. With a faint smile, she added, "But you were."

The next hour or so was spent telling Blythe was had happened and the old woman attempting to explain his new found power. Blythe stared into his hands with disbelief. "So...I'm a mage, too?", he ventured. Wendy nodded with a kind grin. Blythe beamed with excitement and said, "Just wait until I tell Kavi-kun!". Levy giggled at his enthusiasm. Only Blythe would take such news so lightly. She also thanked Wendy for healing her ankle while the mood was light. "No problem", smiled Wendy. Turning to Blythe, she said, "Thank you for saving my life, Blythe-san." He blushed lightly, but smiled brightly. "You don't have to be so formal with me. We're friends now, aren't we?", he beamed. Wendy nodded, her own smile beginning to mirror his. "Is there anything I can do to repay you?", he asked shyly. He seemed to think it over briefly. Ronen grinned at his 'thinking' face. "Don't be silly. It's what friends do", stated Blythe. Wendy nodded, slightly disappointed. Seeing her reaction, he added, "But if it's that important to you...I've always wanted a little sister." He smiled warmly as she met his gaze. "Okay, niisan", she grinned. His eyes grew huge and filled with sparkles at the title. "So cuuuuute!", he exclaimed, squeezing her tightly.

Across the room, Levy spoke with Maiara. It was true the woman was a scholar, one of the few that could still read the tomes held within the temple ruins, but how she was living here so comfortably was another issue. "I suppose you want to know more about me", ventured the old woman. Seeing the look on Levy's face, she said, "I can spot curiosity when I see it, girl." Levy smiled sheepishly. "I thought only dragon slayers could gain access here", she began. Maiara held her gaze evenly. "The way you came in, yes. I fell through a collapsed roof some years ago. I quickly learned these were no ordinary ruins. The library taught me many things. The cult that once thrived here completed many heinous experiments in the name of ending the great dragon war. They studied various ways of forcing magic into human vessels, ultimately killing many of their subjects. One man they brought in was a mad genius. His notes suggest he actually found a way to transcend this plane of existence, but the result of doing so has since been lost. They even created an actual immortal. The books say they were trying for two, but I was unable to find the laboratory of such a feat." Levy listened carefully. The must have entered through that very lab. "Why haven't you left?", she inquired. The old woman sighed. "I'm afraid its not that simple. You've seen only some of the traps and one of the guardians this place holds. I've managed to avoid them for many years, but not a way passed them."

She turned her eyes to the antics of Blythe and the exceeds and grinned, glad to see such friendship after so many years in solitude. "Why don't you come with us?", offered Levy. That possibility seemed impossible for so long, Maiara wasn't sure how to respond. "We still have to find our friends, but once we do, I'm sure they'll agree", said Levy. The woman looked over the numerous faces in her home. "How many more of you are there?", she asked with a hint of surprise. "Four", grinned Levy, "Three dragon slayers and a celestial spirit mage." Maiara looked at her with keen interest. "Are you telling me you brought five dragon slayers here?", she inquired carefully. Levy nodded. "That's how we got through the lock system", she replied. Maiara's face seemed to light up. "Lock system with five slayers? That could only be the lab I've been searching for!", she said excitedly. By this time, Blythe had heard much of what was said. With Rani happily on top of his head, he, too, offered, "So come with us." Maiara seemed flustered. "An old coot like me will only slow you down", she said. "I don't see how. You said yourself you know the way around the traps", said Lily with a grin. "Let's do it", smiled Ronen. "Aye!", added Happy. Charle grinned faintly at the change in vibes. Perhaps the worst really was behind them. Eventually, Maiara agreed. She gathered a few things and the group set out. Blythe leaned heavily on Gajeel for support, but managed to walk on his own. Wendy stayed close by his opposite side with Rani and Charle. Happy simply looked forward to being reunited with Natsu and Lucy. Lily and Ronen walked alongside Levy and Maiara. As she had said, she knew many secret paths that kept them from harm. It was only a matter of time before the entire group was one again.

-

Elsewhere in the temple, Lucy and Yona were also avoiding various pit falls by following Valentine's directions. His key guided them safely through a network of tunnels. "Good thing he has a good memory", teased Yona. Lucy nodded with a soft grin. She hated to make him stay inside such a place any longer than they already had, but without his guidance, she would be lost. Footsteps ahead caught their attention. Yona held out arm to halt Lucy. She motioned her to keep quiet. Her cautious stance faded into a smirk. She knew that scent. "Where have you been?!", she called out. Lucy looked at her in alarm when the footsteps grew faster and closer. As Natsu rounded the corner, Yona launched herself full speed once more. "Natsu!", she yelled, tackling him to the floor. She jerked him into an awkward embrace, smothering his face into her breasts. "And here you thought you lost", she beamed. He tried to say something, but it only came across as muffled noises. Stepping forward, Kavi yanked Yona up by the back her shirt. "That's quite enough", he said calmly. Natsu gasped for air and laughed until he say Lucy's expression. his smile faded as he got to his feet. "Lucy, are you all right?", he inquired, approaching her with an outstretched hand. Behind him, Yona struggled and kicked wildly, annoyed Kavi was strong enough to hold her off her feet. "Put me down, dammit!", she growled. "Only if you behave yourself", he taunted.

Lucy shied her face as Natsu made contact. He placed a friendly hand on her arm, looking her over for injuries. "I was worried you were lost", he said with a kind smile. Slowly meeting his gaze, she said, "I'm fine. Yona and Valentine have been with me." He noticed the pure white key extending from her hip. "I didn't know he could do that", he stated, taking a closer look. "With a boost from Loke, he led us this far." Nearby, Yona was finally back on the ground. Kavi watched the fairies with an even expression. "Do see what you did just now?", he asked. She grunted, annoyed he was right yet again. "What happened to your glasses anyway? Can you even see where you're going?", she retorted. Natsu turned with a sheepish smile. "I happened", he stated. "You got in a fight?", asked Lucy, somewhat surprised. Striding forward, Kavi said, "It wasn't his fault. The temple was testing us." Natsu added, "Yeah, but we got our magic back now!". Yona glared mildly. "That's not fair! Where's mine, then?!", she vented. "I guess you haven't been tested yet", replied Kavi calmly, despite her practically yelling in his ear. "What happened to you two, anyway?", inquired Natsu.

The girls told them of their experience with Valentine and finding their way back to their friends. Kavi let a few stray tears at the telling of Valentine's story while Yona pretended not to notice. Natsu stared into the stone floor while he listened. Then he said, "He's a good guy. I'm glad you're his new master." Lucy nodded shyly. Yona stretched and said, "Yeah, I guess I picked a good one." Lucy grinned despite her emotions. Yona was growing on her. Yona told them of the library and the dragon books. Kavi was obviously interested. He likely could read whatever language they were in, but they had other priorities. He showed the girls the vial and explained their own misadventures. When he'd finished, Yona exclaimed, "Aw, man! Someone finally knocks that smug look off your face and I missed it!". Kavi grinned slyly. "Try to contain your concern", he teased. When information had been traded, it seemed their best bet to continue following Valentine's guidance. After all, he had first hand experience in this complex of corridors. Kavi kept tabs on the others through his silent pulses, letting Lucy lead the way. He was just glad that everyone seemed all right. It wouldn't be terribly long before they were all together again.

-

To be continued...


	13. Chapter 13

Lost Echoes, part 13

Natsu walked silently beside Lucy. She focused hard on Valentine's key, but it was still obvious she was upset about something. Behind them Yona complained loudly about not having her magic while Kavi tried to calm her. "Something wrong?", asked Natsu, breaking Lucy's silence. "Apart from being lost in this place?", she replied, not meeting his gaze. "You're not mad about Yona again, are you?", he ventured a little too quickly. She halted her steps and glared at him. "Why should I care about that? I can't control what she does", she snapped. Not helping the situation in the least, Yona leaned onto Natsu's shoulder. "Ooo, lovers quarrel?", she teased. He gave her an irritated glance, but tried to focus on Lucy. "A word, Yonaguni?", said Kavi coldly. She knew she was in trouble. He hadn't shortened her name and that was never a good sign. She begrudgingly followed him several paces back down the corridor, leaving the fairies alone.

"Why are you mad at me? I didn't do anything", said Natsu. "I'm not mad", retorted Lucy, shying her face. He sighed in aggravation, dropping his gaze. "This is stupid", he said under his breath. Lucy looked at him with mixed emotions. "I'm sorry if you think so", she said coolly, taking her leave. She paused at the tug on her wrist. She glared at the dragon slayer, but he wasn't about to let go. "If you're jealous, just say so", he stated. She looked at him in alarm which quickly faded to shame. "Let go", she said, staring at the floor. "No", he replied evenly. "You're hurting me", she argued. "I'm not holding that tightly. Why are you even trying to get away? Is running off going to fix anything?", he said, his nerves breaking. He caught a brief glimpse of Yona staring wide eyed from down the hall until Kavi jerked her around a corner, out of sight. Returning his focus to Lucy, he saw tears in her eyes. "Talk to me", he pleaded. She was beginning to shake. Since when was Natsu the mature one?

"What do you want me to say?", she asked nervously. "The truth", replied Natsu. She slowly lifted her face to meet his eyes. "It hurts", she stated. He glanced at his firm hold on her arm before realizing what she meant. His annoyed expression gave way to something entirely different. He smiled softly with an expression that simply said, "Finally." She slipped free from his hand and stared into the gloom ahead of them. A single step forward was the only distance between them. Crossing that proverbial bridge, he pulled her into a warm embrace. "Was that so hard?", he inquired. "Can't we talk about this later?", she asked, blushing in his arms. "Yeah", he grinned. He stepped back and made sure there was a level of understanding between them with a meaningful stare. She stared back in wonder. When did he grow up or was she simply too close to notice? After a moment of silence, Kavi finally rejoined them, Yona pouting behind him.

Moving on, Kavi asked, "Where to now?". Lucy glanced at her keys, but Valentine's was no longer pointing the way. "I don't know", she replied. He nodded, knowing he was quite capable of navigating with his magic. "Uh, guys?", said Yona. "Yes?", sighed Kavi. "Should we be worried?", inquired Yona, pointing to the ceiling. Water was dripping from overhead, seemingly increasing its speed as they spoke. Kavi squinted as he focused. Almost instantly, he said, "Run." Yona strode passed him, taking Lucy's hand and dragging her along. Natsu and Kavi were close on their heels. "Why are we running?", shouted Natsu. A deafening sound filled the corridor as the rock overhead split in two. Water crashed down, flooding the hall. Within seconds, the corridor was completely submerged. Pressed against the remaining ceiling as they were washed away, there was nowhere to go. Natsu pounded on the stones, trying to make an escape for him and his friends. It was no use. Glancing over, he noticed Kavi waving him away. A massive pulse of sound rang out, nearly deafening the mages, but blasting a hole in the stone.

Kavi made sure Natsu and Lucy were out first before climbing out himself. Lucy coughed, clearing the fluid from her lungs. Natsu held his ears in pain. Blood dripped down one hand, a sure sign he'd burst an ear drum. Kavi leaned over and reached out for Yona, but something was wrong. "Dammit!", he yelled, causing Lucy to look up in alarm. "What's wrong?", she asked, ignoring the ringing in her ears. She crawled over and looked herself. Some sort of barrier had sealed the surface of the water. Yona couldn't get out and they couldn't get back in to help her. She banged against the barrier with her fists at first, then realized this was her test. She calmed herself, slowing her heartbeat, and simply floated submerged. Lucy had a monstrous headache from Kavi's magic, but she was more concerned about her friends. She knew Natsu's senses were much stronger than her own. She could only guess how badly his ears were hurting. Seeing the blood, she rushed to him. "Natsu! Are you all right?", she panicked. She grasped his wrists having gotten no response. He looked up to see her lips moving, but hearing nothing. "What?!", he yelled, unaware of his volume. Kavi sent a worried expression over before returning to focus to his drowning team mate.

"How long can she stay down there?", asked Lucy, concerned. "Minutes", replied Kavi. Meeting her gaze, he added, "I'm sorry for the damage, but it's only temporary. There's a reason I don't use my magic unless I have to." She nodded, turning back toward Natsu. His other ear was bleeding now, as well. He seemed almost panicked at the loss of his hearing. She held his face steady in her hands until he met her eyes. The look she gave him assured that everything would be all right. He glanced around and noticed one of them was missing. "Where's Yona?", he said, trying to speak softly. Lucy pointed to the hole. Determined to help, he got to his feet and headed that direction. It was only brief movement. His equilibrium was shot. He fell face first to the floor. Struggling to stay on his feet, he made his way over to Kavi with Lucy's help. She watched him closely, feeling foolish for their petty argument. He stared through the barrier and saw Yona drifting calmly in the currents. She was so relaxed, it almost seemed unnatural. Kavi tried breaking the barrier with inaudible pulses of sound waves, but it was no use. He could nothing, but sit and wait.

Five minutes passed, then ten. Lucy watched nervously. No one could hold their breath that long. Finally, the sound of lapping waves drifted through the room. The barrier was gone. Within a split second, Kavi was in the water. Natsu waited with anticipation, ready to help pull them up. Finally, Kavi reached out to grab the stone. Natsu took his hand and pulled hard. Kavi got to his knees and looked over his limp guild mate. "Yona!", he shouted, tapping her face. She was cold to the touch. He pressed his ear to her bosom. He sat back up like a shot, beginning compressions. Natsu looked to Lucy who shook her head slowly. "Cover your ears", ordered Kavi. Lucy did just in time to avoid worsening her headache. He send a strong sound wave into Yona, trying to restart her reflexes. With little to show for it, he proceed to mouth to mouth resuscitation. A moment later, Yona coughed deeply, spewing water everywhere. Rolling to her side, she said, "God dammit! You taste like Blythe!". Lucy blushed and Kavi laughed. She would be just fine.

She sat up and hacked loudly. "Dammit!", she grumbled. After a moment, she smirked. "About time", she said. The water in her lungs was easily moved with her magic returned. An orb of the liquid danced gracefully from her mouth. "Looks like you're back", grinned Natsu. "Sure am!", she beamed. She noted his confused look, unable to read her lips. She squinted suspiciously at Kavi. "You broke him, didn't you?", she said flatly. "He'll recover", replied Kavi calmly. Lucy nodded. "When we get to Wendy, she can heal his ears", she offered. Sighing, Yona shrugged. "Well, don't expect me to support his heavy ass. You prop him up", she said, coyly shying her face. Lucy grinned faintly and agreed. Within minutes, they were back on the move. Yona wobbled a bit, but maintained pace with the others well enough. Natsu leaned onto Lucy lightly, still having problems with his balance, but she didn't seem to mind. Kavi held a quiet smile, glad things had settled between the fairies. Maybe there was hope for Yona after all.

-

Somewhere in the tunnels, Blythe sneezed unexpectedly. Doing so caused him to hold his wound in pain. His magic had saved his life and Wendy had healed him well, but it would take time for the deepest tissues to regenerate properly. "You okay?", asked Gajeel. "Did you hear it?", inquired Blythe, confusing most of his comrades. Ronen grinned and Rani nodded. "Kavi's got his magic back", beamed the former bounty hunter. "Another of your dragon slayers?", asked Maiara. Levy nodded. "The temple must have given it back", beamed Happy, relieved. "They can't be far now", offered Charle. With a recharge to the group morale, they proceeded on. "Are you sure you're all right, niisan?", inquired Wendy with worry. His new title perked him up instantly. He beamed proudly passed pink cheeks. "I'm okay", he assured. "Maybe one of us should scout ahead", ventured Rani. "It's best to stay together in a place like this", replied Maiara. Rani nodded, sticking close to her guild mate. True enough, Maiara was guiding them the safest route toward the surface. She had no reason to steer them wrong and separating only increased the chances of getting lost again. Ronen pat her shoulder with an assuring grin. "I'm sure Yona's fine", he said. Rani nodded, glad her brother was with her. He was right. Yona was strong. She would meet them again soon enough.

-

To be continued...


	14. Chapter 14

Lost Echoes, part 14

It seemed like they had walked for days, but time was difficult to gauge within the ruins. A mere five hours had passed since the mages entered the temple and so much had happened. The two groups navigated the complex corridors, slowly making their way to a meeting point. Gajeel's group was following the scholar, Maiara, to avoid traps, but when she ceased her directions, nervous looks were passed. "Are we lost?", asked Happy. The old woman turned to face her new comrades. "No, but I can't lead you any further", she replied grimly. "Why not?", asked Ronen, impatient to get back to Yona. "I've yet to find a way passed the guardian ahead", explained Maiara. "Guardian? Like that spider?", inquired Blythe. She nodded. "So, what is it?", smirked Gajeel, confident they could defeat it. The woman was in no hurry to discuss the details. She stared distantly into the shadows. "Is it that bad?", asked Rani nervously. "It killed my husband", stated Maiara sullenly. "What can you tell us?", inquired Levy. The old scholar sighed, lost in her memories. Finally, she met the inquisitive faces before her and replied, "It will try to destroy you."

"Destroy?", repeated Happy nervously. "You mean kill us?", asked Lily. "No, I mean destroy. Nothing will be left - not your bones, not even your soul", said Maiara darkly. "What happened?", inquired Charle, trying to get a better picture. "Never you mind the past. If you can't defeat that monster, you'll all be suck down here like me for the rest of your lives", replied the old woman. Turning, she pointed and said, "Follow the right path at the corner and you'll find your challenge. My old bones will stay here, out of the way." Options were briefly discussed, then it was decided. Lily, Gajeel, Levy, and Wendy would try the beast while the others remained behind. "But I can help!", argued Blythe. Gajeel ignored his pleas and lowered him to the floor against the wall. "Not like that, you can't", he sighed. Blythe was annoyed, but his friend was right. He was still too weak to be of any use. He watched them stride forward with worry. How fearsome was this thing that waited ahead? The remaining four exceeds spread out along the halls to form a communication line should something go wrong. Rani remained closest to Blythe, keeping a keen eye on her guild mate.

The others followed Maiara's directions and came to a thick wooden door. Cautiously proceeding through it, a huge chamber lay before them. Blood stains of various ages decorated the floor. With a firm glance, Gajeel let the others know to hang back while he checked it out. Several paces into the room, something passed him so quickly, he couldn't even see it. The dust settled back to the stone floor as the resulting breeze died down. In an instant, things got very strange. As he scanned the room, shadows of what he had done within the temple danced around him. Visions of trying to hold onto Levy during the separation from the group, finding his friends, and even trying to save Blythe. "What is this?", he uttered. Back at the doorway, the others could see nothing, but his confused stare. "Is something wrong?", hollered Levy. There was no response. It was as if he couldn't hear her. As Gajeel watched with caution, the visions faded as quickly as they had come. A dark voice whispered inside his mind, "Have you enjoyed it here, dragon slayer? Your kind built this place." He darted to face the voice, but no one was there. Again it whispered, "You are welcome here, a fine companion for my hollow time. You and the girl may stay as long as you like. The others must be expelled." He grit his teeth and shouted into the darkness, "You want a fight? Then fight me!"

His comrades exchanged nervous glances. "Who is he talking to?", said Levy, thinking aloud. From the corner of her eye, she could see Wendy shocked expression. Her skin was pale and her eyes were wide. She trembled as if something had found her deepest fears. "Wendy, what is it?", inquired Lily. She slowly shook her head side to side and uttered, "But I don't want to hurt them." Levy shook her shoulders gently, trying to call her back to reality. "Hurt who? Who's talking to you?", she asked with worry. Something whooshed between them , taking Wendy further inside the chamber. Levy darted her gaze in disbelief. Her guild mate had been in her hands only a moment ago. She followed Lily stare and spotted the girl standing face to face with Gajeel in the center of the room. They seemed to be in a trance of sorts. Wendy swayed slowly from side to side while Gajeel stared angrily into nothing. It seemed he was still fighting whatever was trying to control them.

Wendy turned to face her friends with a strange look in her eyes. "Impure", she stated. That made her colleagues worry all the more. It was the same thing they had heard just before getting separated. She lifted her hand and aimed her palm toward them, preparing to attack. Lily's quick reflexes saved Levy from a nasty blow. The ancient door beside where they had stood shattered into splinters. "Wendy, we're your friends!", pleaded Levy. Her words didn't seem to reach the girl. She readied another attack. As she did, Gajeel turned and grabbed her arm with a seething glare. "Don't hurt her! She can't help herself!", yelled Levy. Wendy turned her bewitched face toward her fellow dragon slayer in question. He smirked as he let go of her. Shaking his head as if to correct her, they both turned and simultaneously released their roars at their friends. Lily had already transformed and took the brunt of their landing to save Levy. Getting to his feet, he said, "Take Wendy. I'll deal with Gajeel." Levy nodded and the split up, each seeking their own target.

Levy ran fast and tackled Wendy to the ground. Pinning her arms, Levy pleaded one more time. "This place is messing with your head. Fight it!" Wendy's soulless eyes slowly looked her in the face. "We belong here. You're trespassing", she uttered in broken tones. Levy blocked the sound of her friends fighting nearby from her mind. "Fight it!", she yelled. One deep breath was all it took to send the solid script mage flying. "Your magic is inferior", said Wendy, striding confidently toward the tumbled Levy. "The Wendy I know would never say that!", retorted Levy. This seemed to hit something inside of the girl. She paused and looked almost sad. Then, her expression turned to anger. "No, she wouldn't. She's a weak child who only heals those even weaker", she sneered. Levy got her feet and prepared to defend herself. "Weak child? No one thinks that. We all know there's a dragon inside of you. Show it now! You have the will to fight this!", she pleaded. A dark smile formed on Wendy's face. "The only one to say such things was Natsu because he understands. He's one of us", she stated. "A superiority complex? I thought you were above that", said Levy. "I'm certainly above you", said Wendy, releasing several more attacks.

Several yards away, Lily and Gajeel were exchanging blows. "Like I'd lose to a damn cat!", smirked Gajeel. He wasn't holding anything back. If his opponent were anyone, but Lily, they wouldn't have stood a chance. His partner was strong enough to fend him off, at least for a while, and familiar with all of his moves. Catching his fist in his hand, Lily stared him down. "Is this what you really want to be? A crazed imbecile?", he asked. An unexpected transformation of the captured fist sent a sharp blade straight through the exceed's hand. Blood trickled down his arm as he held tightly onto his partner. "You don't know anything", seethed the dragon slayer. Lily stood his ground. "Look over there. Do you see those girls? What do you think they think of you now?", he argued. Gajeel grinned and replied, "The little one will get stronger in time. The other is unimportant." Lily's face lit up with rage. "Unimportant?! If Levy dies, then what?!", he shouted, now holding both of his partner's fists at bay. Gajeel's arms started to tremble faintly at that question. Was he getting through? "You saved her life and she's saved yours! Doesn't that mean anything?!" Gajeel's expression flickered.

Taking the opportunity, Lily used all of his strength and threw the dragon slayer across the room. Levy watched with alarm as he quickly flew toward her. He crashed into Wendy, knocking her several feet away. Lily shouted, "Levy, I know you heard what I said! This is your chance! Make it count!" She sat breathlessly for a moment, staring at her stunned guild mate. Registering what Lily had said, she nodded. It was now or never. She rushed forward and kissed Gajeel deeply. Time seemed to slow as she fought her embarrassment. She had to get through to him. It was the only way. After a moment, he opened his eyes in shock. She released him and waited to see who was in control. He sat up straight and stared at her with a red face. "Gajeel?", she asked carefully. Shying his gaze, flustered, he replied, "What'd you do that for?". He was back. She smiled in relief despite his curious stare at her goofy grin.

A few feet away, Wendy got back to her feet. She was not alone. A tall shadow stood beside her. It was around seven feet tall and stared with two different colored, glowing eyes. "Not bad", it whispered into their heads. It had no mouth, but clearly had the means to communicate. A claw like hand rested on Wendy's shoulder. "But this one is still mine", it gloated. A distorted laugh filled the chamber. "I haven't had this much fun since I made that old mage attack his beloved wife so many years ago. She had no choice, but to kill him", it taunted. A shout from the doorway jolted everyone. "Hands off my little sister!", demanded Blythe. Rani held tightly onto his clothing, hovering just above his head, supporting him as best as she could. The other exceeds stood around him and watched with fascinated horror at what they saw. Both Levy and Gajeel were injuries. Lily, too, wore streaks of blood. Charle stared at Wendy with worried eyes. Happy held her hand, staring down the thing beside her partner. "Wendy!", shouted Charle.

Blythe struggled forward, Rani helping him along with her wings. "I've never had a little sister before and I'll be damned if you think you can take her from me!", he shouted. The shadow seemed genuinely amused. "And what will you do?", it asked, holding a sharp claw to the girl's throat. "In the words of my team mate, I'm gonna kick your ass!", he replied. Ronen flew in, offering more support, and the exceed siblings rushed Blythe toward the monster. He ended up passing straight through whatever the being was. They turned and tried again, this time scooping Wendy in his arms and safely away from the shadow beast. They dropped her safely in Lily's arms before returning to face their adversary. The shadow chortled with glee. "You can barely stand! What can you possibly do to me?!", is taunted. Blythe glared at it with all of the anger he could muster. "How dare you mess with my friends", he said. One eye turned blood red with a dark line running from it down his face. "You idiot! You're not recovered yet!", yelled Gajeel, getting to his feet. Blythe grinned faintly, struggling to control his new-found power. "You can't always run away. You taught me that", he stated.

"Perhaps I should let the girl kill you", teased the shadow. Wendy fought to gain her freedom from Lily's arms, but he held her tightly and refused to let go. "After all, dragon slayers made me. It's only suiting that they should fight their own battles after so many years", said the guardian. "Why are you even here?", asked Rani. "What is it you're still guarding?", inquired Ronen. Those questions only seemed to irritate the specter. Having had more than enough, Blythe threw several needles at the thing before him. If they hit and his aim was true, it should paralyze the creature. However, it failed, the needles passing through it just as he had. "What are you?", he asked. The shadow loomed ahead, making itself look even bigger. "I am the result of an experiment, just like all of the other guardians. We remain here to keep the cult's secrets from being used to make more lost souls such as ourselves", replied the creature. Blythe's red eye faded back to its natural amber hue. His expression was sad. "I don't want your pity!", seethed the shadow. Rani and Ronen were getting tired. He relied on his own strength to stand. Rani landed, trying to catch her breath. He brother maintained the effort of keeping Blythe on his feet. He slowly walked toward the creature with pity in his eyes. "You don't want anyone else to suffer like you did", he ventured. "You know nothing of my pain", snapped the creature. With one swift movement, it said, "Let me show you."

Blythe clenched his eyes, bracing for impact. After feeling nothing, but wind pass him by, he opened his eyes and scanned the chamber. Charle was screaming. He quickly darted his focus to Wendy. Lily's transformation had run out. He was now in the floor, unconscious, his blood on her hands. Her eyes grew wide as it registered she was bleeding. She instinctively grasped her throat, trying to stem the blood that now poured over her. "No!", screamed Blythe. The shadow laughed mockingly as Ronen carried him as quickly as he could toward the falling girl. Wendy collapsed as they caught up to her. Gajeel charged the guardian in fury. Blythe gathered his new sibling into his arms and pressed his fingers over the major arteries in her neck. Ronen stared as his guild mate's body began to shake. "Blythe?", he ventured. He was crying, his forehead pressed against Wendy's. Hearing his name, he slowly looked up. Both eyes were now blood red, the lines marking his face clearly. The blood pooling around him started to rise and take shape. A massive scythe of red liquid darted toward the guardian with furious speed.

A distinct 'shink!' sounded and Gajeel stared in shock. It actually worked. The creature creamed as it fell in two. Once it hit the floor, the pieces began to evaporate. The blood scythe boomeranged back to it wielder. It slowly resumed its liquid state and flowed back into Wendy's body. Charle and Happy ran forward to see the damage. Blythe doubled over in pain as his magic closed the wound in Wendy's throat. He wasn't used to wielding it and the strain was proving too much. As her skin pulled together, the lines faded from his face. One eye resumed its natural state, but he focused hard to hold the other red until Wendy was out of danger. Panting heavily, he grinned at her serene face. The wound was closed and she looked as if she were only taking a peaceful nap. His own wound was bleeding again. He passed out as his eye turned amber once more, a grateful smile on his face as he clutched Wendy to his chest. Charle breathed a sigh of relief, glad Wendy had been saved. Maybe she had misjudged Blythe's affection toward the girl.

Gajeel and Levy stood over the fallen guardian as the last of its remains evaporated into nothing. Maiara slowly entered the chamber, taking in what had happened. "It finally over", she said, faintly grinning. "Thank you", she said, tears starting to fall. He husband had finally been avenged and now she could leave this awful place once and for all. She owed Fairy Tail and Serpent Wing a great deal an she would see to it they were rewarded.

-

To be continued...


	15. Chapter 15

Lost Echoes, part 15

Natsu's group found their way back near the entrance of the vault. There, they waited, unsure if the lower floors were all flooded. Kavi could sense the others moving toward them, so waiting seemed the best option. An hour later, familiar voices began to drift in. "About time", snorted Yona. Kavi grinned faintly as they approached. Lucy did her best to signal Natsu they were coming. His ears had since stopped bleeding, but his hearing was far from restored. As their friends came into view, mixed emotions met what they saw. Gajeel carried Blythe on his back, the blonde out cold. Likewise, Levy carried Wendy. Charle and Rani walked beside their respective friends while the other exceeds seemed to have someone else with them. Lily walked in front of his partner. He grinned as his eyes settled over the others. Natsu looked over Wendy with concern, but Levy offered a reassuring smile. Blythe, on the other hand, didn't look so good.

Kavi helped lower him to the floor. "What happened?", he inquired, staring at the blood seeping through Blythe's shirt. "You wouldn't believe it if I told you", smirked Gajeel. Wendy seemed merely asleep. She rested peacefully as Lucy helped Levy set her down. Blythe was even paler than usual. "It's not as bad as it looks", offered Gajeel. Kavi sent him a curious gaze before retrieving medical supplies from his pack. Yona stood over her guild mate and stared at his sweat-licked face. "What did you do to him?", she asked bluntly. "He saved us", replied Levy with a trace of anger. Yona met her steely gaze with confusion. "This guy? Did you hit your head, too?", she smirked. "Quiet", demanded Kavi, dressing the wound. Charle stood beside Wendy, but kept her eyes evenly on Blythe. "It's true! He was amazing!", praised Happy, gladly sitting beside Natsu. Lucy explained his situation, but with Wendy down for the count, he would just have to deal with his circumstance. Natsu didn't seem to mind terribly. He was just glad to see everyone back in one place. "Who's the old bag?", asked Yona, pointing with her thumb. Maiara chuckled. "My name is Maiara. I'm a scholar. Your friends led me here safely", she explained, unoffended.

Discussions were held while everyone rested. Most of the mages were weary, but unscathed. Blythe and Wendy slept side by side nearby. "Whhaaaattt?!", cried Yona. "I call bullshit! You're trying to pull one over on me!", she yelled. "It's true! Blythe-kun is a mage now", grinned Levy. Kavi smiled quietly to himself. He always had a suspicion there was power within his partner. Gajeel smirked as he leaned against the wall. "Who cares if she doesn't believe us? She'll see him in action eventually", he grinned. "Yona-chan, Blythe-kun really can do magic. We saw it", offered Rani, looking to her brother. Ronen nodded in agreement. Having no further arguments, Yona sat with a 'thump'. "At least he belongs in the guild now", she said, crossing her arms. "He's always belonged", stated Kavi coolly. "You knew?", inquired Lucy, intrigued. "Not exactly. Let's just say I had a hunch", replied Kavi. Watching his partner sleep, he added, "Our guild master likely knew. I knew there had to be a reason she accepted him so easily." No paid much attention to the old woman studying the vault door. Her interests had been explained and no one saw any reason why they couldn't take her to the lab she so desperately wanted to see. After all, they came in that way.

Stories were swapped of each dragon slayer's test from the temple. Yona laughed at the thought of Natsu knocking Kavi senseless and she made sure to crown her achievements of her own test. Kavi sat tensely listening at the details of Gajeel and Wendy's ordeal. Lucy offered him a friendly grin, knowing how worried he must feel. He kept staring at the bandaged wound over Blythe's chest as the details of what caused it were explained. Eventually, Maiara rejoined the mages and spoke more on his new found powers. To pass the time, stories were told of Wendy's early days in Fairy Tail and Gajeel told stories of his past with Blythe. It kept the mood light while everyone waited for them to recover. Natsu simply napped during the tales, unable to enjoy them. Finally, Wendy began to stir. She sat up with hazy eyes. Glancing beside her, she saw Blythe laid out, clutching her small hand in his sleep. As the memories of the fight with the last guardian replayed in her mind, she looked over him with worry.

Charle hugged the girl, glad she was back. Wendy clutched at her throat without thought, amazed she was still alive. Even more interesting, no scar or marks of any kind were present. "Niisan saved me, didn't he?", she asked shyly. Her partner was still getting used to hearing that title, but she nodded with a grateful smile. "He probably saved all of us", said Lily. Everyone seemed in agreement about that much. His attack was the only one that had worked. Yona stared at him skeptically. There were too many witnesses to write it off, but she still wanted see this so called 'blood magic' in person. Wendy took her time healing Blythe's wound once more. She felt it was the least she could do. After a brief rest, she moved onto Natsu, having heard of his plight. She paced her hands over his ears and concentrated. After a few minutes, she asked, "How's that?". He gave her an odd look as if she was speaking a foreign language. She tried again and released him. "Natsu?", inquired Lucy. He grinned without turning, a sure sign his sense of hearing had been restored. "Thank you, Wendy", he grinned. She smiled in kind, glad to have helped. He got to his feet, happy to have his balance back, as well. "So, what are we waiting for?", he asked with mild excitement.

His smile faded slightly as worried eyes turned to Blythe. After a moment in silence, Kavi replied, "We got what we came for. We have no further reason to stay." He gathered Blythe onto his back before Gajeel got the chance. He handed his pack to Yona who complained about having to carry his things, but her whining quit with a dark glare. The mages backtracked to the laboratory where they entered. Maiara seemed thirty years younger with her enthusiasm. She examined everything as as child picking out a puppy would. She explained her interest once more. "This is where they did it...This is where immortals were raised from the dust we call life. I can hardly believe I'm seeing it with my own eyes after so many years." She shed a few blissful tears, overjoyed to complete her research. In the background, Blythe slowly came to. "Kavi-kun?", he uttered weakly. Kavi grinned over his shoulder and said, "Welcome back." Blythe smiled sheepishly. He was in no shape to walk on his own yet, so he took advantage of his situation and snuggled closely.

Nearby, Maiara studied the tomes the cult had left behind. "You can read that drabble?", asked Yona, peeking over her shoulder. This gave Lucy an idea. She pulled Valentine's book from her bag. "Do you know how to open this?", she asked with hope. The old woman looked at the tome with wide eyes. "Where did you get that?", she inquired. "It belongs to a friend of mine", replied Lucy. Maiara grasped the book and looked it over. "This is human bound", she observed. Lucy nodded sullenly. Levy sent her a worried look while some of the others merely seemed confused by the term. The scholar ran her fingers across its cover. "Skin for skin, a spine for a spine...Blood ink, no doubt." Levy stepped beside Lucy with interest. "What about the pages?", she inquired, somewhat horrified. "They likely mixed crushed bone in with the pulp before pressing them", stated Maiara. Lucy cringed at the thought. That means they would have extracted Valentine's bones while he was still alive. Yona watched from a distance, a mix of emotions crossing her face. Her impeccable hearing caught every word. Lucy slowly produced his key and handed it to the old woman. Maiara studied it carefully. "Bone", she nodded. "Yes", said Lucy sullenly. "Have you tried opening this book?", inquired the scholar. Lucy nodded. Her grim expression obviously meant failure. Maiara handed back the items while she thought it over. "Knowing what I do of this cult, I can only give one guess", she began. Lucy's eyes widened as she listened intently. "Try combining the two during the blood moon", said the old woman. "A lunar eclipse?", uttered Levy. Maiara nodded and said, "Yes, child. Try it then. If that doesn't work, you'll have to seek your own answers."

Eventually, the mages crawled out the way they had come in. It was dark out now. One by one, they hoisted their colleagues to safety. Maiara had opted to stay behind. She claimed there was still far too much to learn inside the lab. She assured them she would be fine, refusing to take 'no' for an answer. Leaving her to her research, the mages trekked away from the strange temple, setting up camp in the distance. Kavi showed them the vial. "So what is it?", asked Natsu. "Some lame potion?", added Yona. "Liquid etherion", replied Kavi. Yona climbed over Natsu to get a better look. "No way!", she beamed, interested by the blue liquid. "If anything is stronger than dragon's blood, that would be it", smirked Gajeel. Dusting himself off, Natsu said, "So, if we succeeded, then that means we get to meet your master, right?". Kavi nodded with a shy smile. "She unused to company, but a deal's a deal", he replied. "We get to meet a naga?", beamed Happy excitedly. Deciding to tease him, Yona leaned over with a creepy grin. "Careful, she eats exceeds", she teased. Ronen laughed at Happy's cry of shock. Rani put a paw on his arm and smiled kindly, letting him know it was a ruse.

They all took a day to rest. Wendy and Blythe were still weak. Once they set out, though, the fairies were abuzz about the chance to see an actual naga. Only Lucy walked stoically, lost in thought. Natsu stepped beside her with a friendly smile. "We'll try at the next eclipse. Try not to worry about it", he offered. She nodded with a shy grin. They still needed to discuss things from temple. It wasn't long before Yona started up a riot with her antics. Lucy shook her head. Some things would never change. A few days later, they made it back to Magnolia. The fairies checked in with the guild, letting Makarov know the task had been completed. Fairy Tail certainly had fun with Yona around. She was louder than Natsu, more brutally honest than Levy, and could almost drink as much as Cana. The next day, they began their long journey to Serpent Wing. It would take almost a week to reach home, but Kavi was looking forward to it. With luck, the vial he recovered would save his master's life.

-

When they finally arrived, Serpent Wing was hard at work recovering their reputation after the previous members were wiped out. A hooded woman nodded in acknowledgment as they passed. "That's Teresa", said Blythe. "Our seeress", added Kavi. Once they had checked in with their guild, Kavi lead them down an alley to what looked like a dead end. Having recovered his spare glasses from the guild, his usual calm expression had returned. He paid no mind to the confused fairies. He knocked on the stone three times and the stones themselves seemed to quiver. He stepped through them without hesitation, assuming the others would follow. One by one, they did. A long staircase lead into the depths of the earth. It took nearly an hour to find its end. Kavi was used to the trek and thought nothing of it. He had to allow his guests to rest, though. Their legs were killing them. He held hushed conversations with Blythe and Yona while he waited. After resting, he lead them into the darkness. They remained close together, relying on his magic to guide them.

Eventually, light could be seen ahead. A huge cavern opened up, filled with plants and various wildlife. A huge stone sat at its center. "Master?", called Kavi. The fairies watched keenly as they heard something move. A blue-green scaled arm reached over the boulder, pulling up its owner. Finally, they laid eyes on Serpent Wing's guild master. She was beautiful and lithe. Vibrant blue eyes met the inquisitive gazes before her. Her tail was three times the length of her torso. The years of dragon's blood had caused her to grow a set of horns, claw like nails, and a single wing. She was truly a sight to behold. As she came into view, she stared back at the shocked fairies with a kind smile. "It's so rare I get company", she grinned, revealing pointed teeth. Kavi strode forward and bowed, holding up the vial. "Master, I hope this will heal you", he said respectfully. "My dear, Kavi, I told you. I'm not sick, I'm old. Two hundred and fifty years old", she replied. Everyone behind him remained silent out of respect and shock. Stretching out her hand, she said, "Don't be afraid. I don't bite." Slowly everyone took a few steps forward. "Wow!", exclaimed Happy, taking an excited look. "Amazing", uttered Lucy. Natsu and Gajeel looked on in wonder. It was almost like looking back at their parents.

"My name is Veda. You're welcome here. Fairy Tail has its own secrets I have kept, so I have no trouble sharing ours", said the naga. "Secrets?", repeated Natsu. Moving the conversation forward, Veda lifted the vial to eye level with the tip of her tail. "Etherion", she observed. Kavi rose from the ground and looked toward his master with hope. "Will it help?", inquired Blythe. "Perhaps", replied Veda. "So, let's find out! Chug it!", encouraged Yona. Veda smiled kindly on her rambunctious children. Setting the vial aside, she spoke at length with the visiting members of Fairy Tail. She answered all of their questions with the understanding that her existence was to be kept secret. After a few hours passed, Yona escorted them back out. Only Kavi and Blythe remained behind.

"Did you find you power?", asked Veda. Blythe beamed and nodded. "I always knew you had it within you. No go and rest. You make your master worry", she said. He nodded and went after the others. "He'll so just fine", she said to Kavi. "Will you?", he replied, concerned. "You needn't worry so much, my dear Kavi. Should I pass this brief existence, the guild will be in good hands", she stated serenely. He dropped his gaze to the floor, trying to maintain his even expression. "You've done well to resurrect this place. What happened before was not your fault. Stop blaming yourself", she said. He nodded silently. She yawned deeply. "Now go and enjoy your new found friends. I'm so very tired", she said with a kind smile. "Please take care, Master", said Kavi, bowing briefly. He obeyed despite his instinct to stay. Once Veda was alone, she looked closely at the vial he had brought her. Downing its contents in one swallow, she coiled herself down from her perch to rest. Only time would tell if their journey was truly worth it.

-

THE END


End file.
